16/01/2008 00:00:00
Hemp products are growing a reputation in health food market
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Hemp is moving from the counterculture to countertops.
More hemp food products, from brownies and milk to cereals, have hit
local grocery store shelves since the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
determined the Drug Enforcement Agency could not ban the sale of hemp
foods in 2004.
Because of this ruling, there has been a “huge boom” in the United
States hemp food sales, said Maria Emmer-Aanes, director of marketing
for Nature’s Path, a hemp food maker.
For more than 6,000 years, sails, ropes and even gruel have been
produced from the hemp plant, said John Roulac, founder and CEO of hemp
food producer Nutiva.
Parts of the hemp plant are also made into clothing, floors and shower
curtains.
The Laughing Seed Café in downtown Asheville makes a burger with hemp.
“I use hemp quite a bit on my raw tapas plate, in desserts, etc.,” said
Jason Sellers, chef at the Laughing Seed.
Hemp farming remains banned in the United States. Industrial hemp, which
is the type cultivated for food products, shares the Cannabis genus with
marijuana.
However, the hemp seeds used in food do not contain any THC, the drug
component in marijuana, manufacturers said.
“Hemp and marijuana are like a Chihuahua and a golden retriever,” Roulac
explained.
Ross Long, grocery store manager for Earth Fare in West Asheville, said
hemp products are “an excellent food source” because of its protein and
amino acid content.
“It really does have a nutty
flavor,” he said. “The texture is nice.”
Hemp may be gaining a reputation as a health food, but Emmer-Aanes said
the plant might never shake its association with marijuana.
“It’s a fun product; it’s a little bit naughty,” she said.
Hemp tabbouleh
Ingredients:
1 cup whole bulgur wheat
1 tsp. kosher salt
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon Nutiva Hemp Oil
dash of garlic powder
1/2 cup Nutiva Shelled Hempseed
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
In a large bowl, mix bulgur wheat and salt. Pour boiling water over the
wheat, mix, cover, and let sit for a half hour. Stir in the rest of the
ingredients. Chill and serve.
Source: http://nutiva.com
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880115078
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13162
Author:
Asheville Citizen-Times via UKCIA
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