Hemp seed (botanically a small nut, often sold de-hulled as hemp hearts) is the grain harvested from the hemp plant, and one of the most nutrient-dense products of the crop. It is valued above all for two things: high-quality protein and a near-ideal balance of essential fats.
Hemp seed is roughly 25% protein, and unusually for a plant it is a complete protein — its two main storage proteins, edestin and albumin, supply all nine essential amino acids in digestible form, which makes it a useful protein for vegetarian and vegan diets.
It is also about 30% oil, more than 80% of it polyunsaturated. Hemp seed oil is an exceptionally rich source of the two essential fatty acids — linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) — and their ratio, normally between 2:1 and 3:1, is widely considered close to optimal for human health.
Crucially for regulation, hemp seed and its oil and flour contain only trace THC and have a long history of food use, so — unlike CBD extracts — they are not treated as a novel food in the EU.
