Trader Joe's New Hemp Seed Bars Sound Like A Total Breakfast Game Changer

There's a new Trader Joe's product out there for anyone who needs to grab their breakfast or snacks on the go. Trader Joe's just added Organic Hemp Seed Bars to the many granola and fruit bars they already offer. And there are a few reasons TJ's shoppers might be interested in this new addition.

To start, according to the Trader Joe's site, the bars contain, "organic almonds, cashews, crisped brown rice, gluten free rolled oats, wild blueberries, currants, and, of course, hulled hemp seeds." They're described as "soft-textured, but still satisfyingly crunchy", which makes it sound like you don't have to worry about any granola bar crumb issues. The site notes that the hemp seeds have a "delicately earthy flavor," and also add fiber, protein, and amino acids to the bars.

The hemp seeds being hulled means your body can process them in a way it can't if the seeds are still intact. That said, de-hulled hemp seeds do provide insoluble fiber that can potentially help with digestion, as noted by Healthline.

And, in case you're wondering, no, you cannot get high from eating hemp seeds. Hemp and marijuana are both members of the plant species Cannabis sativa, but hemp contains far, far less THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) than marijuana, which is the main component of marijuana that provides the psychoactive effect. According to Bon Appetit, the varieties of hemp grown for food contain about .001 percent THC.

Trader Joe's description of the bars focuses on the fact that hemp has a looooong history. "It’s largely considered to be one of the first plants ever cultivated by humans for use in making cloth or fiber, and there’s even a fair amount of evidence to suggest that it was the first plant to be cultivated by humans… ever!" the site explains, also noting that it has been used to make paper, clothing, and more.

Hemp is also eco-friendly. According to The Guardian, hemp plants put nitrogen back into the soil, and hemp "takes less water and produces more plants per acre" than cotton. And when it comes to making fabric, hemp is highly durable.

The Organic Hemp Seed Bars are not the first Trader Joe's product to use hemp. The store's Organic Fruit & Seed Granola also contains hemp seeds, and they also sell bags of plain hulled hemp seeds. Then there's the Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream, which is made with hemp oil.

Need more seeds? Trader Joe's has got them. There's Sunflower Seed Spread, Gluten Free Oat Cranberry Flaxseed Cookies, Coconut Sesame Seed Clusters, and 3 Seed Beet Crackers. Plus, the new Hemp Seed Bars are the cousin of their Organic Chia Bars.

Trader Joe's fans know that the store has pretty much everything, including some very specific products. And now, those who want to add some more hemp to their diets will be able to do that, too, and in a very convenient way. The new bars will go for $2.99 for a five-pack, and if you want 'em, they're available now.