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According to David Wolfe, “Superfoods are vibrant, nutritionally dense foods packed with highly nourishing properties”. David is considered the nutrition expert for nutrition experts and in his book “Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future” he shares what he considers to be the top 10 superfoods that everyone should include in their diet.
David’s Superfood list includes, but is not limited to; Cacao (Raw Chocolate), Goji Berries, Maca, Hemp Products, Spirulina, Bee Products, Camu Berry, Sea Vegetables (kelp, dulse, nori, hijiki, bladderwrack, chlorella), Medicinal Mushrooms (Reishi, chaga, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, lion’s mane, etc.), and Superfoods Supplements like; MSM, Digestive and Metabolic Enzymes, Mangosteen powder, Marine Phytoplankton, Activated Liquid Zeolite, Ormus, MegaHydrate, Crystal Energy, Krill Oil.
Hemp or Cannabis sativa is a top ten Superfood according to many of the experts in food science today. Think of Cannabis sativa like kale (red russian, leaf, dino), there are many varieties (hemp, indica, sativa, or hybrids) which have different variations of nutrients.
Science tells us that hemp is packed with 33% pure digestible protein, rich in iron, amino acids, and vitamin E as well as omega-3 and GLA. Omega-3’s are important in cell regeneration and healthy brain function.
Cannabis is also one of the oldest domesticated crops known to man, dating back as far as 8,000 B.C. There are many different varieties of the Cannabis sativa plant that are used for many different purposes, all of which have great value to people and the planet. Hemp is also perfect food for growing children and adults looking to increase protein intake.
There is a lot of different opinions in the nutrition world about what the top superfoods are, for some it’s broccoli sprouts and salmon, others its moringa and blueberries, or kale and acai. What we can all agree on is that Superfoods are the most powerful, nutritious, mineral-rich plant foods on Earth.
You can find different superfoods in all different civilizations for example; China gave us goji berries, the Aztecs gave us cacao (raw chocolate), the Egyptians gave us aloe vera, Polynesians gave us noni, the Incan peoples gave us maca, central Africans gave us spirulina, and beekeepers around the world gave us bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. It’s only now in this moment of our awakening and digital revolution that we are able to bring all these abundant superfoods together.
So what about cannabis where did it come from, and why is this once illegal plant now considered a superfood? Through the Ages hemp has played an important role in humanity’s development. For thousands of years marijuana was not only legal, but an important crop among cultures throughout history, and held commercial, medicinal, and spiritual value.
The cultivation of cannabis, commonly known as marijuana or hemp, can be traced back at least 12,000 years, which places the plant among humanity’s oldest cultivated crops. The earliest cultural evidence of Cannabis comes from the Yangshao in China. From 5,000 to 3,000 B.C the economy of the Yangshao was cannabis-driven. Historical evidence shows they wore hemp clothing, wove hemp, and produced hemp pottery.
It’s really hemps essential nutrients that make it a superfood, below is a list of the reasons I found for it to be considered a top 10:
- 20 amino acids, including 8 essential amino acids our body can’t produce; a complete plant protein
- EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) — more than flax or any other nut or seed oil
- Omega-3s and omega-6s, in an optimal 1:3 ratio
- Gamma-linolenic acid, Antioxidants, plant sterols, and phytonutrients, Vitamin E, Minerals; manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and zinc
- Carbohydrates in the form of dietary fiber.
Superfoods have extra-large doses of vitamins and minerals that can help us ward off diseases and live a longer, healthier life. They represent an awesome piece of the nutrition puzzle as they are the best natural sources of clean pesticide-free and chemical-free food and medicine.
Superfoods go a long way towards making us more well-balanced in behavior and demeanor. This is due to their ability to help remineralize our tissues and offer deep, well-rounded nutritional support. They help nourish our brain, bones, muscles, skin, hair, nails, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, reproductive system, pancreas, and most importantly our immune system.
Long-term, superfoods work to correct imbalances and guide us towards a more natural and original diet. When we consume superfoods it becomes dramatically easier to achieve our ideal mood, weight, diet, and habits.
We need to be consuming the essentials like macro/micro nutrients and the highest quality of these are most usually found in plant-based superfoods, herbs and supplements. By adding in more superfoods we naturally crowd out some of the foods that should never have been added to our food supply to begin with like; trans fats, refined sugar, artificial dyes and flavor enhancers.
I can go on and on, but the most important takeaway is that vital nutrients, anti-oxidants, essential fatty acids, and healthy protein can all be found in superfood, and specifically the ancient and hippie herb cannabis.
Ways to add Cannabis to your diet
- Tea: take the leaves, stems or flowers and steep in hot water.
- Raw: take the leaves, flowers or seeds and add them to salads or as a healthy garnish to any meal.
- Blended: use the leaves, flowers or seeds and add them to your favorite green smoothie recipe as an add-in or alternative.
- Infused: try infusing oils, water, alcohol or apple cider vinegar to make alternatives to medicine, creams and salves.
- Cooked: try substituting the greens in your favorite pesto recipe for cannabis leaves or sauteing them in your next stir-fry.
Nutritional summary of hemp
- According to the USDA (National Nutrient Database), one tablespoon of hemp seeds contains: 166 calories, 9.47 g of protein, 14.62 g of fat, 2.6 g of carbohydrates, 21 mg of calcium, 2.38 mg of iron, 210 mg of magnesium, 495 mg of phosphorus, 360 mg of potassium, 2.97 mg of zinc, 33 mcg of folate.
- Hemp seeds also provide vitamin C, some B vitamins, and vitamins A and E.
- Contains all 10 essential amino acids, making it a complete plant-based protein.
- Hemp does not contain phytates, which are found in many vegetarian protein sources and can interfere with the absorption of essential minerals.
- Hemp can help relieve the inflammation that occurs in joints.
- Gluten-free & easy to digest
- High in healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
- Raw cannabis activates the brain’s cannabinoid system, which triggers an antioxidant release. Antioxidants act as a “cleaner” and remove damaged cells from the body.
- Raw cannabis improves the efficiency of the cells in our body.
- CBD Oil Reduces Cortisol and has a surprising effect in terms of its ability to reduce stress, effects of anxiety and increased adrenal function that occurs, also promotes a restful sleep.
- CBD oil can promote insulin sensitivity, helping you reach your ideal body weight and stay there.
Super Idea’s
While many cannabis-infused edibles are reaching the mouths of medical patients and tokers, manufacturers continue to flood the market with sugary sweets. An increasing number of innovative companies recognize the plant’s unique medicinal benefits and have devoted themselves to creating cannabis-infused foods that combine cannabis with other superfood ingredients for maximum healing and supreme vitality.
It doesn’t make sense to have fast food in hospitals , nor does it make sense to feed cancer patients a chocolate bar filled with Corn syrup and sugars. What we need to do is support the real medicines of the world and the innovative companies taking action today.
Sending Love & Positivity,
Ashley Michaud
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