In This Article

Today’s article will be all about nutrition. To be exact, it will be about one very important nutrient that the human body absolutely needs. You are smart and guessed it right. It’s protein !!

Overview of Hemp Protein – Why Is Hemp Protein So Popular?
Hemp Protein

Nowadays, a “new” product has hit the market and taken it over by storm. Its popularity is rising more and more, and people seem to be “hooked” on it. The new product that I will be talking about today is called “Hemp Protein”. Although this article will be based on Hemp protein, you will read many interesting facts about nutrition and health in general.

To start things well, let’s talk about protein itself first. After we understand why we absolutely need protein, we will move on to the main event for today.

Why is Protein Necessary for Our Body?

People very often make a huge mistake connecting protein to bodybuilders. Yes, all of those bodybuilders are taking extra protein (among other things) while they are training, but that doesn’t necessarily have to mean that it is only for them.

I said “extra” because they aren’t taking protein just from food; they are buying containers of protein powder that they use to make shakes; that is, like I have said, an extra meal for them.

Well, from the previous statement that I have made, you just might be able to connect some dots and figure out why protein is so important.

Protein builds muscle, but not only that!

Protein Good

Protein

You see, protein takes as much as 42% of our dry body weight. If you want the scientific definition of protein, it would go something like this: Proteins are biomolecules that are consisted of amino acids. I consider proteins building blocks.

We can see the huge importance that proteins have just by the length of this medical research[1] that’s talking only about them! In that research, we can see that proteins have vital roles in almost every cell activity. All of those activities are vital for our metabolism.

Sharing insights about necessity of protein, Certified Personal Trainer, Chris Pruitt says that protein is more satiating than carbs and fats, helping you feel full for longer and reducing their overall calorie intake. It also has a higher thermic effect, meaning it burns more calories during digestion. Importantly, it helps preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss, ensuring the body primarily sheds fat. This muscle preservation is crucial for maintaining metabolic rate and achieving a toned physique.

Of course, like I have mentioned already, their most popular function is building muscle. So yes, it isn’t a myth – if you want to build muscle you absolutely need good protein intake (and other very important nutrients of course).

With that being said, you can understand the importance of choosing the right “extra” protein for yourself (return and see what I mean by “extra” in case you have forgotten).

Facts You Need to Know about Hemp Protein

Searching for the best mixture of quality (health) and taste when it comes to the protein can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack if you don’t know what to look for.

Imagine entering a food shop and looking all of those products. Each and every product is coming from a different manufacturer. Who should you trust? What should you pick? Is it healthy? Is it natural?

You will face all of those questions head to head. Well, luckily for you, this article will help you with the facts about a newer member of the market. This brand has been selling like crazy and nowadays you can see it almost everywhere. Of course, it’s Hemp Protein.

What is Hemp Protein Exactly?

Hemp Protein Powder

Hemp Protein Powder

Not many people know about hemp in general. To be honest, I have heard many upsetting nonsense from people who think that they know what they are talking about, but actually don’t have a clue.

Well, if you don’t want to be one of those people, read carefully what’s below. If you don’t know what hemp protein is, don’t worry, neither have I.

First of all, let’s talk about hemp itself. Some of you may have heard about hemp, some of you don’t have a clue – but one is for sure; most people who have heard about hemp are connecting it to marijuana.

Hemp is actually one of the oldest plants that people ever discovered. Since way back then (Columbia History of the World actually claims that they have records about hemp fabric being the oldest human relic; and the time period that they are talking about will shock you – 8,000BC), hemp has been used for textile and paper.

So, why do people connect hemp with cannabis if it has been around for so many years?

Well, it looks identical. Hemp is really just one form of the cannabis plant. The “industrial hemp”, as people like to call it, is a non-psychedelic variation of the cannabis plant. To be exact, industrial hemp has less than 1% THC in it.

What are Hemp Seeds?

It all starts with hemp seeds. They are nutrients, just like any other, but very dense. Those exact hemp seeds are later transformed into many different products. Hemp protein comes from there, and here is how.

So, hemp seeds are carefully transformed and processed into hemp milk. You can drink that milk as it is or use it to make another tasteful drink (like a milkshake) and gain also plenty of healthy nutrients.

Besides from that, people have been pressing hemp seeds into the oil as well. Hemp oil is extremely rich in polyunsaturated acids.

These “extracts” that resulted from something as simple as hemp seeds are the essence of organic hemp protein powder, which is the final product.

What are Hemp Protein’s Powder Benefits?

Hemp Powder Benefits

Hemp Powder Benefits

Now we know what hemp protein is, which means that your next question in the natural order of questions is – but does it work?

If you are wondering what you can gain from it, keep reading on.

In this medical research[2], we indeed see that protein coming from hemp seeds is not only effective and good but in some cases even better than other sources of protein. That should answer the first question.

When it comes to what exactly hemp protein powder offers to the table, I believe that the following will suffice.

The Protein Itself

In the previously mentioned research, you have already seen how effective protein coming from hemp seeds really is.

To be exact, only proteins coming from soybeans are in front of hemp seed protein powder when it comes to planting protein percentage. In other words, hemp proteins are second most “useful” plant-based proteins in the world.

In hemp protein, you can find all of the 21 amino acids that our bodies crave for! Our bodies use every single one of those 21 amino acids for maintaining our health optimal.

In that same group of 21, there are 9 amino acids considered to be essential for our bodies. Also, our bodies can’t produce those 9 amino acids which means that we must find them elsewhere; and by elsewhere I mean food.

Since we have been talking about proteins this much, it would be a shame not to mention globulin – one of the most important proteins for life.

Globulin proteins are enzymes, fibrinogen, hemoglobin. Now, can you guess where globulin is located the most? – Hemp seeds! Correct!

To be exact, hemp seeds contain 65% of globulin inside of them.

Hemp protein is also very easy to be absorbed and digested. That is due to the fact that it contains albumin. Albumin belongs to the group of globulin proteins as well.

The “Good Kind” of Fats

Omega

Omega3

Not all fat is considered bad. There is fat that our bodies need. Well, luckily for us, hemp seeds also contain a fair amount of those healthy, “good kind” fats.

Hemp seeds contain fatty acids that are extremely beneficial when it comes to our health.

You see, in that group of acids you will find Omega 3 and Omega 6. Like I have mentioned earlier, some amino acids cannot be produced by our bodies. Omega 3 and Omega 6 are just like that. We need them, but can’t produce them.

Many studies suggest that essential fatty acids prevent diseases such as: cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and chronic illnesses.

Healthy Fiber

Best hemp protein powder is extremely rich in, well, healthy fiber. Per just one tablespoon, hemp protein powder has 3 grams of healthy fiber.

The amount of healthy fiber that we need in order to maintain good health is:

  • For women approximately 25 grams.
  • For men approximately 98 grams.

You see, it is hard getting that much from other protein sources because they are usually low in fiber. However, with hemp protein you would be inserting both good protein and the right amount of fiber.

To make things even more appealing, some studies came up with results claiming the following:

If the right amount of fiber is consumed every day, diseases like cancer and diabetes may be prevented.

Given the fact that cancer is our number one killer today, this sounds extremely good.

Fiber can also do wonders if you are trying to cut some weight down. That is due to the fact that it slows down digestion, which means you will feel “full” pretty quicker than before; that leads to you not eating as much.

Build Muscle and Bones with Magnesium

Magnesium Rich

Magnesium Rich

Hemp protein powder isn’t that rich in magnesium, but hemp milk protein surely is. Our bodies absolutely need magnesium! Magnesium makes our bones healthy and strong and it also affects our muscles.

It has a vital role when it comes to your blood pressure as it keeps it normal; glucose levels included.

Vitamin B and Vitamin D

Hemp is full with Vitamin B and Vitamin D. They are essential for converting food into energy.

Calcium and Phosphorus

Do you know how much calcium healthy adults need in order to maintain optimal health? The answer is 1,000 mg of calcium. That’s exactly the amount of calcium you will find in just one cup of hemp milk.

Besides from calcium, hemp milk is also an excellent source of phosphorus. We need phosphorus for healthy and strong bones.

Can You Get High off of Hemp?

Like I have said the way at the beginning of this article, hemp is just a type of cannabis. So, the mistake of thinking that you can get high using hemp is normal.

The reality is different. You can’t!

Come to think of it, hemp can be bought almost anywhere nowadays. Some of you jokers out there will say that marijuana (hemp’s big sister) can be bought anywhere as well, but let’s face it, your humor is not as good and you can’t exactly buy marijuana in the health food store. People, please!

All jokes aside, there is one thing that contradicts the facts that I have presented you with. That would be DEA. The DEA has put hemp and marijuana in the same group – Schedule 1. Although the reasons why they did that are unclear, the following remains: You can’t get high off of hemp!

How Popular is Hemp Protein Actually?

Cannabis Business

Cannabis Business

I need just one fact that will blow your mind away. What is it you may ask?

Well, consider yourself warned.

– The HIA, which stands for the Hemp Industry Association, claim that they have earned 620 million dollars in one year only off of hemp-based products.

Keeping in mind that this is just in the U.S. it really seems incredible.

Also, since hemp is considered illegal in the U.S., hemp materials have been imported from mostly Europe.

There is another benefit I didn’t mention before. This benefit should consider farmers and people interested in planting hemp (keep in mind they are illegal in the United States). Hemp plants prevent erosion as it detoxifies the ground.

How crazy is that? Seems to me that only hemp protein benefits surround this time.

Well, come to think of it, that’s only one of the reasons why hemp protein is so popular these days – It has much to offer and it is completely natural.

Special hemp protein powder recipes that You can use for Making Your Taste Even Better

There is a huge variety of things you can do with your hemp protein consumption. You can either drink it as a regular protein shake.

Just pour your dose of hemp protein powder into a blender, put some milk or water, and blend that all together.

My recommendation is to make a nice smoothie power shake. You can do so by adding fruits of your choosing into the mixture.

If you ask me, and since this is my article you have no choice, I would put bananas, milk (if you have hemp milk that would be great), oats and hemp protein powder into a tasty mix.

That will do wonders for your overall health, but not just that. If you are working out and hitting the gym hard, these type of shakes will be excellent for adding muscle. There is a lot of healthy protein in this powder, and if you mix it with some fruit or veggies (or both), you will get a monster of a drink!

Besides from these protein shakes, smoothies, and similar drinks, you can make a hemp brownie.

Here is how you can do that:

Everything that you need from your grocery store (ingredients):

  • ¼ hemp proteins
  • ¼ cup of rice flour
  • 2 bananas
  • ¼ maple syrup
  • 1 tsp of vanilla powder
  • 5 tbsp of cacao powder
  • ½ of walnuts

As you can see, the ingredients aren’t that hard to be found. You can find them everywhere. Judging by this list, only finding hemp protein would be a little bit harder, but given the fact that it raised its popularity, that won’t be a challenge either.

How do you prepare hemp brownies:

Healthy Brownies

Healthy Brownies

  • Put your walnuts into a blender. Walnuts should be blended until the ground is coarse.
  • Next step is very simple. Just pour other ingredients into the same blender and start blending. You have to make sure that everything is well mixed.
  • Now that you have mixed it all together, pour the mixture into a brownie tray.
  • Your oven should be preheated at 180 degrees Celsius. You should leave your brownie cake for about 14 to 18 minutes inside of your preheated oven.

And voila! That’s how you make your own brownie cake. It certainly is a fine mixture of taste and health!

You can also make another popular and tasty desert – hemp muffins.

What you can do here is simply use hemp protein powder and some coconut and oats. The recipe is basically the usual muffin recipe. Don’t forget to add baking soda to the mixture as well.

And the third, final option for your healthy but sweet dessert – Chia hemp protein bars.

Simply mix hemp protein powder with non-dietary milk, sweetener, cashew butter, some cacao. The only thing that is left now is for you to roll that bad boy up and enjoy the flavor! M-m it brings water to my mouth just from imagining it.

As you can see, you can make pretty much everything and anything using hemp protein powder, hemp seeds or hemp milk.

The desserts that have been mentioned in this article are just my own favorites. It goes without a doubt that there are many other things that you can make using hemp. Just be creative!

Things to Watch Out for:

Yes, we have been talking about healthy and natural nutrients in this entire article. However, as this article is getting to an end, I must address one thing.

Although the nutrients are natural, there is also a risk! This risk can be eliminated by you and you alone. Taking something like proteins much more than your “prescribed” dose can be extremely harmful to your health. Your body needs time to absorb all of the protein that you are taking and put it to good use. In the meantime, protein is going through our vital organs.

People who usually make this mistake and end up fighting for their life at the end are people who want more muscles in the shortest amount of time. You see, they think that muscle gaining depends solely on protein intake.

Although protein has a lot to do with strength and muscle mass, it doesn’t mean that the more you take the stronger you will become. Simply take the amount you calculated is a need for your own body-weight.

Also, what may come out of hemp protein overdose is – Gastrointestinal Distress. So, if you notice that you have diarrhea, if your stools are loosening, it would be best for you if you stopped with your hemp protein consumption.

Gastrointestinal Problem

Gastrointestinal Problem

The Final Verdict

That would be literally everything you need to know about hemp protein that there is. If you want to go for it and start consuming it regularly, I give you “the green flag”.

Let’s make a quick overview of all of the things that we have learned today.

Hemp is a type of cannabis. Although marijuana is hemp’s close relative, hemp cannot get you high. It is illegal in the United States of America so it’s being imported from other countries.

Hemp protein has plenty to offer to your health. You will be able to build muscle, strengthen your immune system, prevent certain harmful diseases with regular hemp protein intake.

That would basically be the essence of today’s article. I hope you have enjoyed it and learned something new.

The only thing that remains now is the question – “Well is there anything wrong with hemp seeds and hemp protein powder?”

Like I have mentioned before, but I have the feeling I must mention it again just in case, the answer to that question depends solely on you; the consumer. If you act accordingly and take the dosage that’s good for you and your body type, everything will be fine.

It may also be good if you visit your doctor before deciding to take hemp protein powder every single day.

Now that you know what hemp protein really is and what lays behind the curtain, my job here is done. Until next time!

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2 Sources

We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.

[1] Protein timing and its effects on muscular hypertrophy and strength in individuals engaged in weight-training https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529694/
[2] Evaluating the quality of protein from hemp seed https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20977230
Author
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Sam Kramer, MS, RD, CSSGB, LDN, CISSN

Sam Kramer is a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, Six Sigma Green Belt Certified, and Certified Sports Nutritionis