Ask Leah! The Ingles Dietitian

Sponsored: Will I fail a drug test if I eat hemp?

ingles dietitianQuestion: I have been hearing a lot about hemp lately. Do you sell products with hemp at Ingles? Will I fail a drug test if I eat products with hemp? 

Answer: 1.Hemp is not a drug - First and foremost, hemp is NOT marijuana. While they are in the same plant family (cannabis), to be classified as hemp there must be a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol - a psychotropic substance) of .3% or less.

While currently it is not legal to grow hemp in NC (this is expected to change), you can buy, sell and use products with hemp in North Carolina. In 2015 hemp was grown legally in Tennessee. 

2. Nutrition - Hemp seed is an excellent source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, high in protein, magnesium, and phosphorous .http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2868018/. Including hemp is various forms(oil, seed, protein powder) in your diet may have some nutritional benefits such as improving cardiovascular health, reducing inflammation and improving skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, but very little research has been done to date on humans to support any nutritional claims. 

Currently you can find several products containing hemp at Ingles like hot and cold cereals and granola mixes as well as hemp oil in the form of a supplement. As hemp becomes more of a mainstream ingredient in food products expect to see more products containing hemp on the shelves at your Ingles store! 

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian

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