Hemp Seeds: Benefits, Nutrition, THC Facts & How to Eat Them

Dr. Josh Axe · Free quiz

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Hemp seeds come from Cannabis sativa, grown in varieties bred for seed and fiber. Under a thin, crunchy shell sits a soft, cream-and-green kernel with a mild, nutty taste, sold on its own as hemp hearts. Three tablespoons of those hearts carry 9.5 grams of protein, half a day's magnesium and more than a day's worth of plant omega-3.125

Hemp's fat is what sets it apart: it brings omega-6 and omega-3 together in one seed, about 3 parts to 1, along with small amounts of two less common fats, GLA and stearidonic acid.16 Hemp seeds are part of my own rotation too, along with black sesame, flax and plenty of pumpkin seeds.7

Did you know?

• In 2018, the FDA reviewed hulled hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder and hemp seed oil and had no questions about their status as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in food.8

• In hemp protein isolate, a single storage protein called edestin makes up about 70% of the protein, and in a lab model of digestion, hemp flour and hemp protein isolate were both highly digestible.9

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What are hemp seeds?

You'll find hemp seeds in several forms:

• Whole hemp seeds. The seed in its thin, crunchy shell. Whole seeds carry much more fiber than hulled ones.10
• Hemp hearts. The hulled kernels, soft enough to eat straight from the bag, and the form the nutrition table below describes.
• Hemp seed oil. Pressed from the seeds and best used raw, as a finishing oil.
• Hemp protein powder. Made from the seed cake left after the oil is pressed out.9
• Hemp milk. Hemp seeds blended with water and strained, used like other plant milks.
• CBD oil. A separate product; hemp seeds carry only traces of CBD.

A short history of hemp seeds

For most of its modern history, hemp seed was treated as a by-product of the hemp fiber industry, and only recently has it drawn research attention for its nutrition and its effects on gut health.11 Chinese medicine valued it much earlier. There the seed is huo ma ren, and it leads a formula that has been used for constipation for more than 2,000 years.12

Hemp seeds nutrition facts

Hulled hemp seeds, per 3 tablespoons (30 g), calculated from USDA FoodData Central; % Daily Value uses FDA reference values.12

Three tablespoons is USDA's serving and a realistic sprinkle over a bowl of yogurt or a salad.1 About 78% of the fat is polyunsaturated.12

In the table, the 18:4 fat is stearidonic acid, an omega-3.16

What are hemp seeds good for?

How do hemp seeds work in your body?

Hemp seeds work mainly through their fats and their minerals. The fat story starts with the two essential fats your body can't make on its own:5

The omega-6 and omega-3 balance

The seed oils guide on this site rates hemp seed oil as one of the few oils with a naturally low omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio, roughly 3:1 to 5:1.15 The seeds fall in the same range. USDA's numbers for hulled seeds work out to 3.16 parts linoleic acid for every part ALA,1 and across 29 whole-seed varieties grown in Serbia, the ratio ran from 2.86 to 4.71, against 9.72 for soybeans.16

Linoleic acid from whole foods, nuts and seeds included, isn't something to fear, and part of the modern problem is that most diets carry too little omega-3 to balance it.15

Your body turns only part of that plant omega-3 into EPA and DHA: in studies of healthy young adults, women converted about 21% of ALA to EPA and men about 8%, and your genes help decide how much you make.5 In Heal Your Cells, Dr. Will Cole and I explain that this conversion is often inefficient, which is why wild-caught fish and algae oil are the most reliable direct sources of EPA and DHA.17 It's personal for me: genetic testing showed I don't convert ALA well, so I eat a lot of wild-caught salmon and other wild-caught fish.18

So pair them. Plant omega-3 like hemp's raises EPA and DPA in your blood, while DHA rises when you eat DHA itself.14 Eat hemp for its ALA, GLA, stearidonic acid and minerals, and wild-caught salmon or sardines for ready-made DHA, and you cover the whole omega-3 family.

Anti-inflammatory potential

Hemp seed's anti-inflammatory effects show up most clearly in the gut, so far in animal and lab studies. In mice on a high-fat, high-sugar diet, whole hemp seeds, about 2 tablespoons a day in human terms, limited the rise in gut permeability the diet caused.19 In mice with colitis, a hemp seed diet calmed colon inflammation, restored the tight junctions that seal the gut lining and raised beneficial Bifidobacterium.11 And in human immune cells in a dish, hemp protein lowered three inflammatory messengers, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6.20 For more on the gut lining, see leaky gut.

What the minerals do

• Magnesium for energy. Your cells' energy molecule, ATP, is held mostly as a complex with magnesium, and magnesium takes part in more than 300 essential reactions in the body.21 See the signs of low magnesium.

• Manganese for your mitochondria. It's the core of MnSOD, the main antioxidant enzyme inside your mitochondria, and it helps build proteoglycans, molecules that support the structure of cartilage and bone.22

• Copper for connective tissue. Copper helps an enzyme called lysyl oxidase link collagen and elastin fibers together, which keeps connective tissue strong and flexible.23 See copper deficiency for the signs of running low.

Hemp seed benefits, ranked by evidence

In order of evidence, hemp seeds, hemp protein and hemp seed oil help most with closing magnesium, manganese and copper gaps, adding complete plant protein, raising omega-3 in your red blood cells, supporting healthy blood pressure, keeping you regular, and supporting your joints and skin.

Are hemp seeds good for your heart and blood pressure?

The blood pressure trial came from the University of Manitoba. Thirty-five adults with mildly high blood pressure drank smoothies made with 50 grams a day of hemp protein, 45 grams of hemp protein plus 5 grams of hemp peptides, or 50 grams of casein, a milk protein, for 6 weeks each. Each person tried all three in random order, with 2-week breaks between them; neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what, and 31 finished.4 Measured over 24 hours, blood pressure averaged 135.1/80.0 mmHg after casein, 133.5/78.9 after hemp protein and 128.1/76.0 after hemp protein with peptides. Both hemp drinks also lowered the activity of ACE and renin, two enzymes in the system that raises blood pressure, and raised nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, compared with casein.4

That trial used a protein-powder amount: 50 grams of hemp protein is about as much protein as five 3-tablespoon servings of hemp hearts. It shows what hemp's protein can do, and the High Blood Pressure Protocol covers the rest of a natural plan, along with these natural ways to lower blood pressure.

The same university tested the seeds themselves. In a 4-week trial, 30 adults with a BMI of 25 to 35 and normal blood sugar ate 60 grams of hulled hemp seeds a day, two servings, plus 30 grams (about 2 tablespoons) of hemp oil in a dressing, and for another 4 weeks, hulled sesame seeds and soybean oil instead. Each person tried both in random order, and neither they nor the researchers knew which was which.3 After the hemp period, ALA, GLA and DGLA, a fat your body makes from GLA,6 were higher in the blood, and ALA, DGLA and EPA were higher in red blood cells, than after the comparison foods. Cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin, blood pressure and body composition didn't differ between the two periods.3

Plant omega-3 itself has improved blood fats in a larger body of research. Across 47 randomized trials with 2,630 people, adding ALA, the omega-3 in hemp, flax and walnuts, lowered total cholesterol by about 5 mg/dL, LDL by about 5 mg/dL and triglycerides by about 9 mg/dL, with bigger drops in people whose cholesterol or blood sugar ran high.28 Those trials used ALA from several sources; a serving of hemp hearts supplies 2.6 grams of it.1

Magnesium adds to the picture. In 34 placebo-controlled trials with 2,028 people, magnesium supplements at a median of 368 milligrams a day for about 3 months lowered systolic blood pressure by 2.00 points and diastolic by 1.78.29 A serving of hemp hearts brings 210 milligrams of magnesium from food.1

Are hemp seeds a complete protein?

In a study of 30 commercial hemp products from Western Canada, hulled hemp seed was 35.9% protein and scored 63% to 66% on PDCAAS, the standard protein-quality score, against 49% to 53% for whole seeds, with lysine as the limiting amino acid in every product. The researchers concluded that hemp proteins score "equal to or greater than certain grains, nuts, and some pulses."24 Hemp is also rich in arginine, at 1.37 grams per serving.1

Hemp protein has been tested in training too. In a randomized trial of 34 resistance-trained young adults, 22 men and 12 women, 60 grams a day of a hemp product supplying 40 grams of protein was compared with soy matched for protein and calories over 8 weeks of training about four times a week, and neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what.30 The women on hemp gained arm muscle thickness, from 2.6 to 3.1 centimeters, while in the men it was soy that increased arm muscle; the men on hemp held their muscle twitch force better after a fatiguing test than the men on soy.30

Hemp protein also steadies blood sugar after a meal. In two randomized trials of 27 and 16 adults who each tried every drink, 20 or 40 grams of hemp protein lowered the blood sugar rise in the first hour compared with a carbohydrate drink, matching soy protein, and the 40-gram amount also lowered insulin.31

Because lysine is in shortest supply,24 hemp works best alongside other proteins through the day, such as eggs, wild-caught fish, yogurt or lentils. For more ideas, see these plant-based protein foods.

Do hemp seeds help with constipation?

In Chinese medicine, yes. Hemp seed, huo ma ren, is the main herb in Ma Zi Ren Wan, known in English as Hemp Seed Pill, and its traditional job there is "moistening the bowel and relieving constipation,"32 in plain terms, keeping the stool soft and easy to pass. It makes up 35.7% of the six-herb formula, alongside rhubarb root (a stimulant laxative herb), bitter apricot kernel, white peony root, magnolia bark and immature bitter orange.32

Modern trials have tested the formula. In Hong Kong, 291 adults with functional constipation took the formula (7.5 grams twice a day), senna (15 milligrams a day) or a placebo for 8 weeks, and neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what.12 A complete response, meaning at least one more complete bowel movement a week, came for 68% on the formula, 57.7% on senna and 33.0% on placebo; the formula beat placebo, and its edge over senna was too small to rule out chance. Eight weeks after treatment ended, 47.4% of the formula group still had that response, against 20.6% on senna and 17.5% on placebo, and the formula group also had faster colon transit and less straining than either, with the formula well tolerated.12

An earlier randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 120 adults found that 43.3% responded to the formula during treatment, against 8.3% on placebo, with less straining, less need for rescue laxatives and no serious side effects.33 Across 17 trials with 1,681 patients in east Asia, two high-quality placebo-controlled trials showed about one more complete bowel movement a week on the formula (0.95), and side effects were no more common than without it.34 In lower-quality trials, people were about 1.8 times as likely to report satisfactory relief on the formula as on conventional constipation medicines.34

The formula is an herbal medicine with rhubarb in it, so use it with a practitioner trained in Chinese medicine. As a food, whole hemp seeds, shell and all, bring more fiber than hearts; add them to a fiber-rich plate along with these natural constipation remedies.

How much hemp seed should you eat a day?

In The Biblio Diet, Jordan Rubin and I suggest keeping nuts to about a handful a day at most,35 and a similar modest portion suits seeds. Here's how that looks for hemp:

• A first taste: 1 tablespoon on yogurt or a salad.
• Everyday: 3 tablespoons (30 grams) of hemp hearts.
• The upper amount studied: 60 grams of hulled seeds a day, plus hemp oil, in the 4-week randomized trial of 30 adults.3

On days you eat more, count the calories.

How should you eat hemp seeds?

Eat hemp hearts raw or add them after cooking. As I've noted on my show, hemp oil is heat-fragile, so it's best used in smoothies, drizzles and salad dressings.36 Cold-pressed oils like hemp are best used raw or at low heat, stored cold and used up quickly.15 The seeds carry the same delicate fat, so sprinkle them on after the pan comes off the heat.

Hemp hearts or whole hemp seeds?

Hemp hearts are soft and ready to eat. Whole seeds are crunchy and carry much more fiber, and in lab tests their extracts showed stronger antioxidant activity than hulled seeds; hulled seeds carry more fat and protein and score higher for protein quality.1024

Like other seeds, hemp carries phytic acid, one of the antinutrients that bind minerals, at 4.5 to 7.6 grams per 100 grams of the seed's dry, defatted matter.37 Sprouting and fermenting lower phytic acid, which leaves more iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium available to your body.17

Buying and storing hemp seeds

Buy hulled hemp seeds with one ingredient on the label, or whole seeds if you want the crunch. Store them airtight in the refrigerator or freezer. Most of their fat is polyunsaturated, and heat, light and time turn it rancid, so toss seeds that smell sharp or taste bitter.115

Hemp seeds vs. chia, flax and other seeds

Ounce for ounce, hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds are the protein and mineral seeds of this group, while chia and flax bring far more fiber and plant omega-3.

Amounts per ounce (28.35 g), from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy records; for flaxseed and sunflower seeds, USDA lists omega-3 as total 18:3 fat.138394041

Hemp hearts bring protein and minerals, ground flax or chia bring fiber and extra ALA, and walnuts round out the plant omega-3. Our list of the healthiest seeds to eat covers more.

Can hemp seeds make you high or affect a drug test?

As I explain in Ancient Remedies, hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants, and marijuana carries varying levels of THC, the compound that can make someone feel high.44 U.S. law defines hemp as cannabis with no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight.45

The seeds themselves don't naturally contain THC; they pick up traces during harvest and processing from contact with the rest of the plant.8 Most of that THC sits on the outside of the shell. In one analysis, a quick solvent wash in the lab removed about 90% of it, and the kernels of hemp seeds carried less than 0.5 microgram of THC per gram.46 Market seeds today stay low: in 12 commercial hemp seed samples tested in Türkiye, THC ranged from 0.11 to 2.08 micrograms per gram, an average of 0.78, while hemp seed oils ran as high as 31.08 micrograms per milliliter.47 CBD in the seeds was trace too, so hemp seeds aren't a source of it.47

For workplace drug tests, the key study gave 15 adults hemp oil blends supplying 0.09 to 0.6 milligrams of THC a day, for 10 days at each amount, in a controlled dosing study.42 No one screened positive at 0.45 milligrams a day or less, one urine sample screened positive at 0.6 milligrams, and the highest confirmed level was 5.2 ng/mL, well under the 15 ng/mL cutoff federal programs use to confirm a positive. The researchers put 0.6 milligrams at about 300 grams of hulled seeds a day at 2 micrograms of THC per gram, roughly ten 3-tablespoon servings.42

In a 2026 controlled study of 15 volunteers, 5 in each group, eating hemp seed products left recurring low-level traces in urine, lower than drinking hemp oil did.43

Athletes face a stricter rule: the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits all natural and synthetic cannabinoids in competition except CBD. When 23 commercial hemp products were tested in single doses, 30% of urine samples collected 8 hours later would have counted as an anti-doping violation.48 For everyone not tested under those rules, hemp seeds are an ordinary food.

What are the side effects of hemp seeds?

Interaction check: Low. Hemp seeds have no documented medication interactions. In a placebo-controlled trial of 86 healthy adults, 2 grams of hempseed oil a day for 12 weeks didn't change platelet clumping,51 and in a randomized trial of 14 healthy adults who each took hempseed and flaxseed oil (30 milliliters a day for 4 weeks of each), clotting factors didn't differ.52 In rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet, adding 10% hemp seed brought platelet clumping back to normal.53 Hemp seeds carry only traces of CBD, far from the amounts in CBD products, so CBD's own interactions don't carry over. If you take a blood thinner, keep taking it as prescribed.

Hemp seed allergy

Hemp seed is a documented allergen source. In blood samples from sensitized people, two hemp seed storage proteins, vicilins and edestins, bound allergy antibodies, and in people sensitized to hazelnut, hemp seed proteins blocked about 25% to 30% of antibody binding to hazelnut, a sign of possible cross-reactivity.49 Anaphylaxis after eating hemp seed has been described in one documented case.50 If you're allergic to hazelnuts or other nuts and seeds, don't assume hemp is safe for you and don't test it at home; an allergist can check. If hives, swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing follow, stop and call for emergency care. More on food allergy symptoms.

Kidneys, pregnancy and digestion

Three tablespoons carry 495 milligrams of phosphorus and 360 milligrams of potassium.1 If you have kidney disease or a phosphorus or potassium limit, work hemp seeds into the targets your care team has set; the renal diet page explains more. In pregnancy and while breastfeeding, hemp seeds are an ordinary food, and hulled hearts carry the least THC.46 If a new food leaves you bloated or loose, start with a tablespoon and build up.

The bottom line

Hemp seeds: frequently asked questions

References

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49. Beriziky P, Cherkaoui M, Linxe L, Perrin E, Rogniaux H, Denery-Papini S, et al. Hemp seed: An allergen source with potential cross-reactivity to hazelnut. Food Res Int. 2023;169:112932. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2023.112932. PMID:37254358
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Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

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Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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