Howmuch do you know about gut health? All of us have experienced abdominaldiscomfort at some point, enough to know that it is unpleasant to say theleast! But did you know that our entire digestive tract, from top to tail, islined with over 100 million sensitive neurochemical receptors like the onesfound in your brain? That’s why scientists have named our stomaches the ‘SecondBrain’. Not only can poor digestive health cause discomfort like IBS, but itcan also effect your mental health, energy level, immune system, and joints!

Thereare many factors that can influence gut health, but a major culprit with tummytroubles is actually an imbalance in healthy digestive bacterial ecosystem,called microbiota. There are nearly 3 pounds of microbiota in your digestivetract, which is an average of 10 microbiota for every cell in your body.

Fortunately,if you are looking to support healthy gut bacteria, you need look no furtherthan our favorite superfood: hemp! Not only is hemp one of the most useful andenvironmentally friendly crops on the planet, it’s also extremely beneficialfor your belly. Here are some ways that adding hemp can improve your digestivehealth.

EasydigestionHemp seeds are more digestible than any other high protein foodincluding meat, whole eggs, cheese, human milk, and cows’ milk. This is because65% of the protein found in hemp seeds is made of a globulin protein namedEdestin. Edestin is known to aid in digestion and is also considered to be thebackbone of our cells’ DNA. Hemp protein is also free of the trypsin inhibitorswhich block protein absorption, and free of oligosaccharides found in soy,which cause stomach upset and gas. This makes hemp seeds an excellent source ofprotein for mothers, fathers, babies, the elderly, body builders, and thehealth conscious alike.

ShortChain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)Short Chain Fatty Acids are fatty acids with fewerthan 6 Carbon atoms, and hemp provides them for our bodies in two ways. First,the healthy microbiota in our GI tract produce them by fermenting the fiber inour colons. Second, hemp contains the Essential Fatty Acids Omega 3 and Omega6, which our body can break down into their short chain forms. These SCFA’s cancontrol intestinal inflammation, strengthen colon cells, kill cancer cells andreduce the risk of a cardiovascular event.

FibreWholehemp seeds are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Solublefibre forms a gel-like substance in the gut, containing valuable nutrients forour microbiota, and may also reduce spikes in blood sugar and regulatecholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber adds much needed roughage that helps foodand waste pass through the gut. Consuming insoluble fibre has also been linkedwith a reduced risk of diabetes!

ProteinHempseeds are an excellent source of protein including all nine Essential AminoAcids that our bodies are unable to produce for themselves. These amino acidsare the building blocks our bodies need for cell production. Dietary protein isalso a major source of nitrogen for colonic microbial growth and is essentialfor converting carbohydrates into energy. Since hemp protein is so easy todigest, it does not come with the intestinal distress that other high proteinfoods can bring with them