New Packaging & New Recipes: Introducing Hemp and Quinoa

With the relaunch of our Chef Soraya bowls, we are excited not only to present our beautifully branded packaging, but a slight change in the recipe as well! While the flavors and core ingredients remain the same, we’ve reduced our sodium and introduced hemp and quinoa to our recipe as well. We chose hemp and quinoa to make our bowls a more complete macro meal. With the added boost of healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals, you’ll stay satisfied longer and fueled for your busy day. Here are a few fun facts about hemp and quinoa to get you as excited as we are for the new Chef Soraya bowls!

Thanks to some recent changes in the legal status of hemp, you might be seeing more of this plant out there on the shelves, including in our bowls! The Hemp Farming Act of 2018 was a proposed law to change hemp (defined as cannabis with less than 0.3% THC) from a schedule 1 substance to an agricultural commodity. It was incorporated into the 2018 Farm Bill and became law on December 20, 2018.  Since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp is more easily accessible and transported so that we can bring its health benefits to you. Hemp can now be treated as any other commodity crop in the United States. The previous restrictions on hemp stem from its relative closeness to cannabis sativa. Hemp comes from the same plant as cannabis sativa which is the same species as marijuana. However, hemp is a completely different variety.

The part of the hemp plant we utilize in Chef Soraya bowls is technically a nut and is commonly referred to as hemp hearts. They can be ingested raw, cooked or roasted. Hemp is a complete source of protein. That means that is contains all 9 essential amino acid that your body needs to build and repair protein tissues in the body. This makes hemp one of the few plant-based proteins that are considered complete. In addition to being a complete protein, hemp is also very high in that protein. Over 25% of a hemp heart’s calories comes from protein. Hemp hearts are also rich in fatty acids. These acids, like omega-3 and omega-6, play several critical roles in the body such as aiding in the formation of organs and tissues, as well as promoting healthy brain function. These fatty acids cannot be produced by the body and therefore must be consumed.

Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wah, has recently grown in popularity and for good reason. It’s often called a super-food or super-grain. This is because of its abundance in protein, fiber, and certain vitamins and minerals. It is a staple of the native people of Peru and is actually a seed. Quinoa is very high in fiber, almost twice as much as most other grains, and high in protein. Like hemp, quinoa is also considered a complete protein and is naturally gluten free. Quinoa is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. This helps prevent the damage of mitochondria during energy production in cells and protects red blood cells and other cells prom injury by free radicals.