Hemp for Kids? Yep, That’s a Thing!
If you were to tell a parent group that you fed your child cannabis, chances are you'd get a few side-eyes. A few gasps. A few glares. But hemp (a member of the cannabis family) is quickly making a name for itself on the breakfast menu and dinner table.
Scram cereal! You’re toast, toast! Move over, mac and cheese. Hit the road, ravioli. Beat it, beef! Because hemp is what's for dinner!
Okay, before anyone calls social services on this blog, let's clarify one thing: Hemp is not marijuana. It belongs to the same family (the cannabis family) but hemp and marijuana differ in their legality and psychoactivity. While marijuana is legal but heavily regulated in Canada, hemp is as benign as bulgar. While marijuana can cause a high, hemp cannot. It doesn't have THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid in marijuana. It's packed with health instead.
In fact, hemp has made its way into the "Superfood" classification, wearing a cape and hanging out with blueberries, spinach, and cinnamon.
It's Elementary
Forward-looking food manufacturers are hot on hemp. Most recognize the opportunities from this healthy, eco-friendly and super versatile ingredient and are incorporating it into a range of foods and supplements. But when it comes to kids' food - there is a roadblock. But with a little education, we hope that consumers (and the food industry alike) get over the stigma and start to understand that hemp for kids - is elementary. Here's why:
The Benefits of Hemp
Kids benefit from hemp in all sorts of ways (and you do too, for that matter). Some of the health benefits it offers include:
Hemp regulates the digestive system: Kids and digestion don't alway get along (which is why a "tummy ache" is a repeated rite of childhood). Hemp helps because it breakdowns easily (both while chewing and in the digestive tract). This reduces the risk of choking and irritation to the stomach.
Hemp offers Omega-3: Your child probably isn't a big fan of eating a tin of sardines and good luck convincing them to fill their sippy cup with soybean oil. Hemp to the rescue! Packed with omega 3, hemp and is known to help children develop properly, fend off allergies, and keep ADHD at bay. As they get older, research suggests that the benefits become even more profound (protecting them from cancer, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease).
Hemp is high in good fats: As most of us know by now, not all fat is created equal. There's the fat found in a piece of fried chicken (bad) and the fat found in avocados (good). Hemp contains the latter, fats that protect the heart, act as anti-inflammatories, and enhance the immune system.
Hemp packs on protein: Protein is the building block of life; to put it in kidspeak, it's like a lego. Kids, who are actively growing and growing fast, need plenty of protein to meet their child’s needs. Hemp is packed with protein. If your child is vegetarian or doesn’t like meat, it's the perfect alternative.
Hemp is high in vitamins and minerals: While Flintstone Vitamins may have been a mainstay of our childhood, researchers have now questioned not only their effectiveness but their safety as well. Ideally, vitamins and minerals should come from food, not pills. And hemp is an ideal delivery service.
Hemp is tolerable: Hemp doesn't contain dairy or gluten and it's hypoallergenic, which is especially important in children who are more prone to food allergies than adults. If your kid just has a sensitive system, hemp can help too. And, what’s more, hemp tastes good, which is possibly a bummer for any mom and dad who loves to hear their child call things "yucky."
How to Feed a Kid Hemp
Hemp can be eaten a variety of ways, including raw or grounded into other foods. It can be sprinkled on dishes to provide a nutty flavour or used as a power in baked goods.
For food manufacturers, hemp can be used in a number of processing applications - as a thickening agent, as a binder, and as a means to add nutritional value, texture and taste.
Gold stars for the innovators in the food industry who are starting to make inroads into healthy hemp foods and snacks for kids. Today - we can only find two! But please correct us if we’re missing anyone!
Hemp Baby Food
Little Spoon Baby Foods
Out of California has a Hemp baby puree which includes Hemp Seeds mixed with broccoli, pineapple, and banana.
Once Upon a Farm
Has a green kale, apple and Hemp Seed cold-pressed fruit & veggie blend.
Not specifically for Kids - but who all get silver stars:
Hemp Milk
Good Hemp
Hemp Chips
Let There Be Hemp
Hemp Ice Cream
Wonderland Doozy Pots
Hemp is extraordinarily versatile too, which means you can bake and cook with it in whatever way you want. A few recipes worth trying include:
Boost Your Own Baby Food
Want to boost your apple sauce to make for a smarter, healthier, stronger, better-looking baby?
Of course you do.
Just mix 100 g of applesauce with one teaspoon of hemp protein powder and you'll be increasing the protein content and soluble fibre and turning apple sauce into super sauce.
Hemp for Future Generations
At Blue Sky, sustainability is our motto: We believe the sum of the plant is superior to any one part. And that means no plant goes unused - from leaf to stem to seed, we use it all!
Sustainability benefits parents in a unique way. First of all, it assures both you and your children get the highest-quality hemp products with the best value. But it gives back to the earth too, reducing waste, protecting the environment, and maintaining the natural ecology. Giving back to the earth allows you to give back to your children too, the future generation that must inhabit it.
If you're interested in working with Blue Sky to source high quality, sustainably sourced hemp food ingredients book a call to discuss how we can help.
