What Is Hemp Protein Powder?
The Cannabis Sativa plant, also known as industrial hemp is pretty amazing.
It grows easily without pesticides, it grows fast, and there’s a ton of stuff you can do with every part of the plant.
The seeds are the edible part of the plant.
Known as hemp hearts these are what’s used to make hemp protein powders and other hemp food products. The seeds can even be eaten whole.
Related: Are Hemp And Marijuana The Same Plant?
Hemp protein powder is ground cannabis seeds. Don’t worry, hemp seeds won’t get you high or set off any drug tests. There’s basically no THC in them since they come from the hemp version of cannabis plants.
Hemp protein powder has started to grow in popularity with the legalization of hemp cultivation in the United States.
People are buzzing about it all over the place online. According to some, it’s the miracle protein people with plant based diets have been waiting for.
But is that really true? Is hemp protein powder really the best plant based protein for fitness, dieting, and muscle growth?
Let’s find out together.
Hemp Protein Powder Health Benefits
The Amino Acids
When looking at protein sources that are best for fitness and muscle growth you want what are called “complete proteins“.
Complete proteins are protein sources that contain all 9 of the amino acids that are essential to muscle growth.
Protein from animal products usually has high amounts of these 9 amino acids making them great for fitness and building muscle.
But what if you prefer a plant based diet?
This is where the miracle of hemp protein has been taken a little overboard.
Many plant proteins are complete proteins. Soy, peas, and brown rice are just a few common plant protein powder sources that have good amounts of these 9 amino acids.
Hemp protein technically has all 9 amino acids. But some of them are in very small amounts, which means hemp seeds technically aren’t a complete protein source.
It’s lacking in both lysine and leucine which are both important amino acids for muscle repair and recovery.
For that reason, it’s recommended to combine hemp protein powder with other kinds of plant based proteins.
Protein Percentage
Now that we’ve talked about the quality of the protein in hemp protein powder it’s time to talk about what percentage of hemp seeds have protein.
There’s a lot of different numbers online I’ve seen anywhere from 20 to 50% but the number that seems to be the most common on nutrition websites that really break down what’s in hemp seeds is 20% protein.
That’s not bad for a plant, but it’s not the best either.
Other plant protein sources like soy and peas are a little higher, and they are complete proteins as well and you get more protein with fewer calories.
Healthy Fats
One fantastic thing you get with hemp protein that some of the other plant-based proteins don’t have is the high amounts of healthy fats.
Hemp seeds have high levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
Both of these fats are essential to a healthy diet and are shown to have a lot of health benefits, especially for your cardiovascular system.
This is one area where hemp protein powder really does shine. If you’re looking to add more healthy fats to your diet, it’s an excellent choice for that.
See Also: Is Hemp Considered A Drug?
Minerals
Hemp seeds are also high in certain healthy minerals that are vital for those who have high fitness levels.
One serving of hemp seeds which is 3 tablespoons or 30 grams contains around 210 mg of Magnesium which is 52% of the daily recommendation or DV.
It also has around 2.2 mg of Manganese which is 99% DV, 495 mg Phosphorus which is 71% DV, almost 3 mg Zinch which is 27% DV, 2.4 mg Iron which is 13% DV, and even 360 mg of Potassium which is 8% DV.
There are other important minerals you get from hemp seeds as well but the ones listed above are great for people who work out or have active lifestyles.
Vitamins
Some notable vitamins you get from a serving of hemp seeds or protein powders are Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin B6, and other B vitamins.
All of these vitamins are great for overall health. Hemp seeds don’t have an insane amount of any of these though.
In fact, the highest vitamin level is Thiamin and it was only 32% of the DV.
Fiber & Digestion
One thing about hemp protein powder is that’s it’s high in fiber and really easy to digest.
It’s also great for those who have lots of food allergies. If you’re having trouble finding a plant based protein source that doesn’t make you sick, hemp protein is a great option.
A serving of hemp protein powder will normally give you around 8 grams of fiber which is around 30% of the recommended daily value.
Final Thoughts On Hemp Protein Powder
I’m a huge advocate for hemp. It’s an amazing plant with some amazing qualities. I hope hemp products will become more common in the future.
Hemp protein powder is a great source of plant based protein but the truth is it’s not as life changing as some claim that it is.
It’s a fantastic option for those who have lots of food allergies and a great thing to add to your daily diet.
The main downside to hemp protein powder is the price. It still costs a lot when compared to other plant based protein options.
And it’s super expensive when compared to whey protein powder.
But it is better for the environment than a lot of these other options, which is something to consider.
See Also: What Makes Hemp Paper Better & Why We Should Be Using It
If you are an active person who needs a high protein diet to maintain and build muscle I don’t recommend making hemp protein powder your only or main source of protein.
But you could combine it with other complete proteins to create a great combination of healthy fats, minerals, and amino acids.
I think it’s good to help support the industry and buying food made with hemp seeds is a great way to do that.
I just wanted to make sure those who are considering using hemp protein powder for fitness know the pros and cons of hemp protein powder since it’s easy for things like this to get overly hyped up.
Have any questions about hemp protein powder? Leave a comment below.
