Chocolate Hemp

The other day I got a bunch of hemp in the mail.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Not that kind of hemp. It was a container of dark chocolate protein powder—perfect for my a.m. smoothies—from the folks at Canada’s Manitoba Harvest, Hemp Foods & Oils. Founded in 1998 by Mike Fata, who lost 150 pounds after discovering how to incorporate the benefits of hemp protein into his diet, Martin Moravcik, an instrumental advocate for legalizing hemp in Canada and Alex Chwaiewsky, a world traveler turned exporter, Manitoba Harvest is the largest vertically integrated farmer-owned hemp food company in the world. It partners with hemp farmers, many of whom are company shareholders, to source raw, certified-organic hemp seed used to produce an array of healthful products. 

Certified Organic Dark Chocolate Hemp Protein is made with organic Fair Trade cocoa powder and offers 8 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber and 400 milligrams of Omega 3s per serving. It is soy-, gluten- and hexane (a hazardous neurotoxin)-free. Its nutty, chocolate taste is compatible with milk, yogurt and even hot cereals like oatmeal. The powder is also available in vanilla and can be used in baking.

While rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6, Manitoba Harvest’s hemp products contain all ten essential amino acids. Hemp is also touted to help decrease the onset of certain cardiovascular diseases and reduce blood clotting. Hemp contains gamma-linolenic acid, a ‘good fat,’ chlorophyll that has anti-inflammatory properties and vitamin E.

Manitoba Harvest offers other hemp products such as shelled hemp seed (a great garnish for yogurt), hemp oil and hemp seed butter. For recipes or to learn more about how to incorporate hemp into your diet, visit manitobaharvest.com. And check out my recipe for Almond Butter Banana Hemp Smoothie. –Nicole Denis

Nicole Denis is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s foodie-mom blog.