Go to seed

The benefits of hemp and chia seeds

We often talk about super fruits and super foods but what about super seeds? Hemp seeds have recently made the news and since the publication of Christopher McDougall's Born to Run chia seeds are flavour of the day.

Firstly, let's have a look at hemp seeds.

Hemp seeds contain all the essential amino acids and so are high in protein. This means we can ditch the protein shakes and replace them with hemp seeds.

Secondly, they provide us with plenty of Omega 6 which is good but it should be in balance with Omega 3. Too much 6 without enough 3 can be bad and has been linked to asthma and depression. Apparently we have plenty of foods in our modern diet with plenty of 6 but not enough 3. Hemp seeds have the perfect ratio of 4:1 and also contain GLA (gamma-linolenic acid).

Finally there is a high presence of trace minerals.

We runners need to consume protein, particularly after a hard training session or race. This is needed in order to rebuild the muscles to which we have caused small mirco-tears duing the training session. We also need carbohydrate to keep our glycogen stores healthy and give us the fuel we need for our training and racing. Hemp flour is perfect for this: 41% protein, 32% carbohydrate, 18% dietary fibre, and it is gluten free and so is great to use when baking healthy snacks. It is made from the left over seeds after they have been crushed to extract the oil, which you can also buy to drizzle on your salad. When we are training hard there is the risk of damage to the immune system. We can boost the immune system with the right food and hemp oil is one of them.

Chia seeds are starting to take the running world by storm. Did you ever grow alfalfa seeds in an egg shell and draw a face on the front so that the cress looked like hair? Well most people in America did the same thing with chia seeds. They had chia pets made of terracotta. When the seed sprouted it looked like the animal's hair or fur! Today, however, they are seen as far too precious to use as a toy.

Chia seeds are high in fibre, omega-3 and protein and also contains antioxidants and minerals such as potassium and calcium. Omega-3s are known to reduce inflammation and help the body fight off some of the effects of aging. Chia is akin to linseed but has wider uses as it isn't as strong in flavour.

In his book, McDougall talks about how the Tarahumara Indians would put the chia seeds in water. When soaked the seeds expand in size and take on a gel-like appearance. This is because chia seeds are hydrophyllic and hold around 10 times their weight in water. This also happens in your stomach, even if you eat the seeds raw. The gel coats the stomach and provides a barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes resulting in slower absorption of sugar into the blood stream. This gives you prolonged energy and so can stop you 'bonking' on a long run. If you make it up as a drink you should mix it with a plant-based, unrefined sugar, such as raw honey for a great energy gel.

So there you have it. You can go to seed...sprinkle them on your salad, in your porridge and yoghurt and even make a gel to take on your long runs!