Hemp flour comes from the cannabis plant and is insanely healthy. It does not contain any THC so this bread will only get you high on nutrients (:
Although Hemp flour is very nutrient packed, it contains no gluten at all, so in order to give your breads that "Bready" lift I'm only using a small amount of it in each loaf. What you'll be getting is essentially a bread that has the soft fluffy properties of white bread and is made mostly with white flour, but with an added nutritional bonus of hemp flour. If you read on, you will see how just a small amount of this precious flour contains large amounts of our daily nutritional needs:
Health Benefits of Hemp Flour
Hemp flour is rich in vital nutrients such as: Omega-3/Omega-6 essential fatty acids, vitamins A,D,E , Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, Copper, Potassium, Sulfur, Fiber, Magnesium, Manganese, 20 Amino Acids (including all nine essentials)
What's exciting is that many of the nutrients found in high levels in hemp flour often top the lists of the vitamins and minerals in which people tend to be most deficient.
Take magnesium, for example - experts estimate that as much as 75% of Americans do not meet the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for this all-important nutrient dubbed the 'relaxation mineral.' Magnesium is exceedingly hard to get from the diet. Hemp flour just happens to be one of the most magnesium-rich food sources known. Just three tablespoons of hemp seeds can supply up to 50% of your RDA for magnesium.
Zinc is another great example of how hemp is healthy. Zinc has been shown to support the immune system in a variety of studies. Three tablespoons of hemp seeds contain as much as 31-43% of your RDA for zinc (respectively for male or female).
One of the most remarkable benefits of hemp flour comes from its fiber content. At over 60% soluble fiber, it's near the threshold of what can be officially dubbed a 'prebiotic.' Soluble fiber turns into a nourishing gel in the gut that promotes a healthy microbiome, as this special gel acts as food for good bacteria.
It's also exceptional for a plant-protein to be complete - quinoa is one of the only other examples. By weight, hemp seeds offer about as much protein as lamb or beef.
Continuing the awesomeness, hemp flour provides a hefty dose of the essential fatty acids ALA and LA (omega-3 and omega-6) in their ideal 1:3 ratio for optimum health. Not only are essential fatty acids more lacking in our modern diets, but finding them together in this perfect ratio is unheard of anywhere but with hemp foods.
Hemp flour also contains a healthful fatty acid called Gamma-Linoleic Acid (GLA) that many people take for a variety of health issues (GLA supplements are usually made from Evening Primrose Oil). Also present is Stearidonic Acid which is important for boosting levels of DHA - a crucial brain and nervous system building block.