Hemp Milk

Hemp milk:

You will need:  

5-6cups of spring water

1 cup Hemp hearts (divided into 2, 1/2cup servings)

Sturdy/safe container to soak seeds in
Strong blender, such as a Vitamix 

Refrigerator and time

To make milk: 

1. Put 5-6cups of spring water in a safe container (sometimes I use the large gallon jar pictured here, other times I simply soak in my vitamix). 

2. Add 1/2 cup of shelled hemp seeds/hemp hearts (I use Manitoba Harvest and typically just buy right from their site, because it is my son's main source of nutrition for so long, we buy it by the 5lb tub!)

3. Soak, and refrigerate for minimum 3hrs (I have experimented with the soaking time and do not know if there is anything scientific to it but have found 12hrs to be best soaking time for my needs).   

4. Mix with high powered blender (such as a Vitamix) for 2-4minutes on high (start on low, work up to high)  

5. Add 1/2cup of shelled hemp seeds/ hemp hearts and refrigerate and repeat steps 2-4.

6. Pour and serve. 

Total time: 24hrs. 

Total volume: 5-6cups. 

Tips: I pour it into gallon jugs for pouring (typically the jug I got the spring water out of).  I let the sediment settle, and pour off only the creamiest white parts- the sediment at the bottom are the parts of the hearts that don't quite get mixed well -- although it is very, very fine (because it will go through a bottle nipple), I mainly do this to decrease the fiber content for my young son that has an intestinal allergy, with frequent intestinal inflammation- he needs the nutrition of hemp but often the added fiber can slow down the healing from an inflammatory reactions he may have.  Disclaimer: nothing scientific about this, just what I have done to meet my son's needs.  I have done various things to make this more calorically dense, such as adding maple syrup or oils; but this recipe is simply how to make the hemp milk. 

Hemp Nutrition

Hemp is the base to Little Man's diet.  The nutrition in it was questioned from the beginning but I had researched it and found that it had even better qualities than fortified rice milk (which we already knew he couldn't have anyway).  No soy milk either.  And oat milk wasn't worth the risk, neither was goats milk, at the time.   Hemp it was!  I shared our excitement, and his love for it here: Hemp milk. 

I began making a formula out of it this time last year, we had some bumps in the road, such as:  we couldn't mix it with Neocate and find a threshold- we would need to move away from any and all traces of corn for true healing.   We tried tapioca starch for added carbohydrate calories, and failed- miserably.   This fail had FPIES symptoms but likely was also related to his dissacharide deficiency.  That brought us to arrowroot starch, safflower oil added to the hemp milk -- which we saw great improvements on.  But a blood draw revealed that it wasn't helping his pre-albumin levels (protein stores) improve (past the losses we saw with Neocate, likely from malabsorption due to inflammation brought on by the corn).   We found Hemp protein powder, and began to add it in in August of last year and his protein stores improved nicely.   Hemp provides a great nutritional profile for protein, nutrients and calories.   It is a good source of iron, but a plant source- which is not as readily absorbed by the body as a meat source.  With anemia in our cycle again (still), I have been looking again for more information on hemp nutrition; although I am not finding specific information to the bio-availability of iron, I am reminded of how nutritious, and functional, hemp is.   

Taken from a company that markets Hemp, Nutiva:
"The hemp seed is the richest known source of polyunsaturated fats, containing a perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 linolenic Acid and Omega-3 linolenic acid. In fact, the hemp seed balance of Omega 3 to 6 fats is the perfect proportions for human dietary needs, making hemp an ideal addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle.


The Omega fats, or “essential” fats in hemp seeds are crucial to human health and they are called essential because they can only be obtained through our diet. Without essential fats, the body is at an increased risk of developing deficiencies that can cause slow wound healing, hair loss, skin conditions, and a greater risk of infection from the common cold and flu. Imbalance of Omega fatty acids, including too many Omega-6′s, common in trans fats containing foods like fast food, animal products and processed junk food can lead to diseases including heart disease, hypertension, stroke, arthritis and diabetes.

The hemp seed is one of the best sources of nutritious plant protein. Hemp is also loaded with all 20 amino acids (including the 9 essential). Plant protein, such as hemp, is vital for vegans and vegetarians, and is also preferred by many world class athletes for its dense nutrition. The protein found in hemp hearts is very digestible, with no known allergies, which makes it an excellent choice for sensitive diets.

Hemp also contains phytonutrients, which may boost immunity, purify the skin, and strengthen connective tissue. Hemp seeds may help with the reduction of cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce inflammation, increase healing time, improve circulation, and boost overall immune function and performance"

And, the Nutrition facts label of the hemp protein powder Little Man consumes.

What a superfood! 

If he doesn't eat formula, what does he eat?

I get this question a lot when I simply say, he is allergic to food....and can't even have formula.   It usually takes a minute for this to set in, I can see the wheels turning- trying to process what a baby on no foods could survive on if not breast milk or formula.  I think it is harder to process because they are looking right at him, he doesn't look like he's starving? is what they probably want to say!   I don't let them suffer for long, I continue on....he is on a hemp milk formula I make for him.    It is not complete nutrition but he is not allergic to it, he has grown and gained weight on it and thriving developmentally.   And...he loves it! 

I began the process of making my own formula for him when I discovered he was sensitive enough to react to the elemental formula's, that by giving up nursing to put him on an elemental formula- I had made him more sick.....an FPIES moms worst nightmare.   It is rare, but it can - and does- happen.  Little man is not the only one, and with the growing number of people discovering that corn is at the root of their illness, it is my hope that one day there will be a corn-free elemental formula.  But as of today, there is not.   So, I must make one...it was the only way to take away his daily pain, his random vomiting sessions, his terrible diapers, his colic and gas-disturbed sleep.   And not only that but to add in increased intakes, and healing.   Hemp milk has provided this for my Little Man.   

It has taken months of tweaking, and while the formula is now at ~22cal/oz; and meets all his macro nutrient needs (macro nutrients are the bulk of our diet- calories in the form of carbohydrates, proteins and fats); it is still lacking in some micro nutrients- mainly B vitamins since Hemp is a plant protein, but also a few others (micro nutrients are vitamins and minerals). When starting the formula, our goals were to just make sure it was adequate in macro nutrients and that it is.  

The ingredients of this formula to meet those macro nutrients needs?  
1. Hemp milk is the base with Hemp high protein powder for added protein.  Hemp is a super food.  For an article on the benefits of hemp: Hemp Seed.  
2. Safflower oil provides a low-allergenic fat source.
3. Arrowroot is a well-tolerated starch.  Although well tolerated, little man does not tolerate it in the starch form,  I have to make it into a syrup.

His formula is adequate but not optimial.   Micronutrients would make it optimal.  Where do we get the micronutrients from?   His diet....but we have been unable to give him the tiny menu to do this. 

Enjoying days with a baseline and the last days of summer...

Little man has been doing well. It is like we have a new baby, someone we are just getting to know. As his mom, I knew he was there under the mask of pain and tummy upsets but now we get to see more of him and play with him, explore with him, giggle with him....

I have continued to tweak his formula and now have added Hemp high protein powder to his current formula. This bumps up his protein and calories well, it also makes it a bit thicker so I am still playing with the right ratio of ingredients to make it most palatable for him. He has had varied intakes over the past week/week and a half and it always makes me nervous when he doesn't seem interested in his bottle -- especially when we are moving in such a positive direction for him. I am so nervous about him being sick again - not only losing ground but backtracking. I just wish everything could continue to go in this direction all the time.

He has had some 'typical' toddler things this past 2weeks- he is teething his 1yr.molars, tonight I felt a sharp tip on one side so those are close to coming through. Then, we are a sharing family- and that includes the germs and Little man has quickly developed a cough. He was diagnosed with asthma during our consultation at CHOP so we have the usual medication profile for an asthmatic. Except, how do you give an inhaler to a 14mo. old? Well, when he needs it- you give a nebulizer treatment instead. Little man got one last evening because daddy didn't like the way his cough was progressing through the day. The albuterol in the treatment made it difficult for him to sleep last night....well, at least that is what we are hoping it was from. Sleeplessness has been a part of his previous reactions to foods. Is he reacting to something in the Hemp protein? Is it too much protein for him- afterall he does have Food PROTEIN INDUCED enterocolitis - what if I make him intolerant to hemp? What would we do then? Please, please, please - let this just be a cold!!

My updates are few lately- we've been busy!! Busy doing what? ENJOYING our Little Man!!! This little boy is SO full of life, SO happy to be pain free, so loving. He plays nicely on his own, plays great with his brothers- now getting in on the wrestling and games, "asking" them to play, "joking" with them. This is a beautiful thing to watch -- and one of my favorite things as a mom....just to sit back and watch them play....watching from a distance so they don't know I'm watching (and not asking me to referee every 2 seconds) but watching them interact with one another, help one another out, big boys caring for the little boys. It is what fills my tank....so, so, so many months going on "E" - now my cup runneth over and I find myself wondering if I can really believe it, really trust it. When that lingering thought tries to come in, I just dive into some hugs and kisses from Little Man. It's as if he knows- he smoothers me with kisses and comes running up to me and throws his arms around my neck- squeezing in a hug! I can't get enough of that.

His brothers are starting to trust it more too- this is the longest we have seen a baseline, a pain-free and happy/content little boy since he was 2mo. old. They now fight over who gets to be his buddy for the day, who gets to show him this new thing, or teach him that new thing. It warms my heart beyond what words can express. When I can't express the words and I worry about the memories escaping with time, I photograph moments. Here are a few....backyard swing time, popsicles (hempsicles for little man), a trip to the local zoo, and a Eagle attraction center. We've been busy- we've been "normal" family of young children.

Steps to finding a baseline...

Little man has been on Hemp milk for 5 full days now. We tried giving it to him straight but he wasn't taking it well enough so, as Dr.P at CHOP recommended, we mixed it half and half with Neocate for now (until we can get fortifiers to mix in). He started drinking it like a champ! The first full day, he drank 41oz!!!

We wanted to move away from Neocate so we were trying to mix it 3/4 Hemp and 1/4 Neocate and I think it wasn't enough calories/volume/carbs because he wasn't sleeping well but otherwise had no other symptoms, except of course runny stools (not concerning on a liquid diet, as long as there isn't mucous). So, until we can fortify it, we have went back to 1/2 Neocate and 1/2 Hemp and he is doing really well with that ratio as far as his tummy and hunger and sleep. The mucous was decreased with the less Neocate but now with the increase back to 1/2 and 1/2- it is back. So, I have reassurances that once we get the fortifiers in the Hemp and away from the Neocate that our little man will FINALLY HEAL!!

We haven't had an accidental crumb exposures in a week....because he isn't as hungry so he isn't scrounging for food. He controlled his own intakes of Neocate and we knew it wasn't enough but he simply would not take any more. Now, with the hemp he takes 40-50oz./day (Neocate it was 20-34oz.at most). Also, being able to sit him at the table when his brothers eat and give him his Hemp milk popsicles has been so fun for him! He ate 2 for lunch today!!

We are really hoping Hemp is a true success...as it really does appear to be helping at this point. I know the little man is in there, under all the pain....even though he went "hiding" at 3mo old- a mommy knows....

Just seeing the little boy we are seeing the past few days is exciting at the possibilities of how things will be in the upcoming months when we can start to get some foods in him. I think we'll hang out with no foods for awhile...not sure how long though -- at least 2-3weeks and anything past that I will let him guide us (as he always has).

We meet with the Dietitian tomorrow morning. Hopefully it won't take long to get the fortifiers that we need and we can get him off Neocate completly and get this little boy thriving and growing again!!

Ahhh, the sweet smell of Hemp.....

On Little Man's breath from his new diet of hemp milk!

Little man has been on Hemp for 2 full days now, and he is doing very well with it. His body does not appear to be rejecting it...although I am still undecided if I should be excited! Cautiously optimistic (I am afterall an optimistic kind of person).

We have had to mix it with Neocate a little- it is just too "empty" for him to thrive on, and he wasn't drinking a ton of it the first day. So we mix it 4oz. Hemp and 2oz. Neocate and he sucks down all 6oz. (he previously would only drink 4oz. of Neocate at a time-we've been trying for MONTHS to get him to take more!). He took 41oz. of Hemp/Neocate yesterday!!!!!!! He previously would only take ~28oz(at most) of Neocate a day (many days since reaction only 20oz).

Good signs: he is a HAPPY boy- so that is good (and we are THANKFUL). His runny stools are less, his diaper rash is gone, he doesn't seem to be in ANY pain, his skin is good (no eczema), he's taking more than some thought his stomach could even handle.
Things that make me worry: last night he was up every hour and a half- probably mostly due to hunger as he didn't seem like he was in pain (I even gave him some ibuprofen and it didn't change anything), also possibly refluxing a little. BUT, maybe it is a good thing?? Maybe his GI tract is finally starting to heal and he is actually hungry and wanting the food -- he reaches for the bottle, drinks it anywhere and everywhere now (he had been refusing a lot since reaction, having to "trick" him into taking just the bare minimum of calories for him to thrive on).

I suppose this is how each new "food" is going to go- we just sit and wait and hope these little signs are not a build up to reaction....

Daddy made him Hemp Popsicles yesterday and he got to enjoy one while his brothers ate their lunch!! He LOVED it!! And whew- no oral aversions with him, yet....hopefully now we can get his gut healed and get his body to accept some "safe" foods without pain or vomiting and he can continue to move forward!