What is hemp protein?
Hemp is a superior muscle building food that is fast gaining popularity in the health and fitness industry as a plant based protein superstar.
In this post, we will explain just why it comes out on top as one of the best muscle building supplements compared to other popular proteins such as pea, soy and rice. And, also why you should consider its addition into your diet whether you are in training or not.
Hemp protein benefits
Hemp truly is a gift from Mother Nature. As you’ve probably noticed, hemp products are everywhere right now and are hot news.
Hemp, containing 20 amino acids, including 9 essential amino acids is considered a complete protein.
Essential amino acids need to be added into the diet as the body cannot produce its own (hence the reason they are essential), and all these are abundant in hemp.
What Are Amino Acids?
Amino acids are the compounds that combine together to make protein; and both of these are the building blocks of the entire body.
This explains why protein plays such a crucial role in human health. It’s also why it is such a buzz word in the fitness industry where it is used for tissue growth and repair as a result of vigorous exercise.
However, getting enough protein is also vital to us all whatever our age and whether we are active or not. Not getting enough can lead to muscle wastage, although this is rare in Western society.
Low muscle mass is a bad thing in terms of your health, because muscle not only helps regulate hormones but is also vital to keep your body stable and your organs and bones protected.
Benefits of Lean Muscle Mass
1. FAT BURNING
Muscle is the engine of the fat burning process. Did you know that muscle, gram for gram, burns more calories than fat even when at rest, all day, every day? So, it makes sense to build a good framework of muscle on your body for this reason alone.
You can do this more efficiently with certain weight bearing exercises such as resistance training, HIIT (high intensity interval training), power walking, dancing, kettle bell training, or basically anything that uses controlled movements.
These exercises will all cause resistance in the muscles, thus making them stronger and more powerful over time.
Knowing the basics of how to burn fat and build muscle will not only help to keep you fit and healthy for life, but will also reduce your risk of disease. And of course you will look and feel amazing to boot!
Remember that you don’t need to use heavy weights, or even any weights at all to build muscle. There are actually a lot of exercises that use your own body weight as resistance such as power walking, dancing and most HIIT exercises.
2. BONE DENSITY
Building more muscle will give you much stronger joints, ligaments, and bones that are less likely to break in any situation, be it accidents or sports injuries. This will be especially beneficial as you age, a time when bone density naturally decreases and the recovery time after a break or a fall increases.
3. POTENTIALLY LOWER RISK OF DIABETES
Having more muscle mass on your frame makes it easier for your muscles to absorb sugars directly from the bloodstream. This is good news as it means those excess sugars, rather than being stored as fat, will be stored as glycogen in the muscles ready to be used directly for energy.
Respected articles show this is an especially a good thing in terms of diabetes, which is an inability for the body to clear excess sugars from the blood efficiently.
4. INCREASED ENERGY
As your body adapts to the higher demands put upon it through strength training, it builds up a reserve of energy that then makes ALL other smaller tasks seem like a piece of cake.
Have you ever noticed how energetic you feel after a run, or any other exercise that gets your heart rate up? All of a sudden you’re bursting with energy and ready to go.
That’s how great exercise is for your body!
5. CUT YOUR RISK OF INJURY
The more muscle mass you have on your body, the less likely you are to injure or break bones, period. Think about it like this, having plenty of muscle around your stomach or back will help protect your internal organs and spine from injury in certain situations. This may include accidents such as being hit by a car, falling off a ladder or even minor accidents such as tripping on a paving slab.
6. LOWERING OF BLOOD PRESSURE
Strength training not only is the best drug free option to lower high blood pressure, but it also strengthens your heart (which in itself is a muscle), thus making it easier for it to do its job of pumping blood around the body.
Exercise also lowers blood pressure naturally. Even 5 minutes of running up and down the stairs 3 x daily will get your blood pressure down, so there’s no excuses on this one. Just get moving as much as possible and you will be re-paid in dividends by your body.
7. HELPS PRODUCE HAPPY HORMONES
Exercise is a great way way to help ease low grade anxiety and depression, especially when combined with a low GI diet, high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids and a good B vitamin complex.
Low GI eating keeps your blood sugar more stable. This in itself can help keep you feeling happier and more balanced. It cannot be stressed enough that things such as exercise and food work in harmony and should be done together to feel the greatest benefits.
8. STRESS RELIEVER
Stress may actually play a part in many modern diseases.
When you’re stressed, your body believes there to be a potential threat. This then throws you into fight or flight mode, ultimately triggering the release of the hormone cortisol into your system. This then triggers a big hit of sugar into the bloodstream to give you the immediate energy needed to flee from the threat.
This over reaction is a throwback from our caveman DNA. But, because of the continual stresses in modern life is something that is being triggered for many of us, all day, every day. This gives you some concept of how easy it is to mess your whole body up over time, and not even know it’s happening until sickness or disease take hold.
How to burn excess sugar off
The reality of the situation is that usually there is no actual threat to justify this extreme burst of adrenaline for.
Therefore, you never do burn off those extra sugars from your bloodstream like your system was designed to do. This ultimately can cause them to be laid down as fat. And, were talking specifically dangerous belly fat here, which is the worst kind.
Not only does exercise help burn off these sugars before they turn into fat, but it also releases opiates into your system. These are the body’s own natural painkillers that act as powerful anti stress messengers to make you feel relaxed and chilled.
9. GREAT BODY
Finally (and probably one of the best side effects), resistance training will get your body buff. And, there’s NOTHING more satisfying than looking in the mirror and seeing a fit, healthy body looking back at you.
A toned body is not just for aesthetic reasons You now know that in having a lean body and well defined muscles is helping to protect you from many diseases and adding quality years to your life in the process.
Who is hemp protein good for?
Hemp protein is good for those in training of some kind. Or, even to help build you up if you are sick and cannot keep much food down. It’s literally like a meal in itself as it is so nutritious.
Hemp is also a great supplement for for those following plant based and vegan diets where meeting protein needs can be more difficult.
This is especially true if you don’t understand the importance of correct food combining.
We all need protein, just some more than others. And, usually a person who does no exercise and eats animal products will be obtaining more than their daily requirements. In this case, there will be no need to supplement.
If you’re in recovery from an operation or illness then your requirements may also be greater. Or, if you eat lots of junk food, then a low GI protein powder like hemp may help stabilise your blood sugars. It will fill you up and stop you snacking on junk. ONLY works if you use it instead of unhealthy foods and not as well as!
Benefits Of Supplementing Hemp Protein
- Hemp provides the perfect 3:1 ratio of the fatty acids omega 3 and 6. It also contains the healthful GLA (Glamma Linolenic Acid) which is very hard to find in other plant products.
- It contains NO sugar or saturated fats.
- Hemp helps to cleanse the colon due to its high amounts of both soluble and insoluble fibre. These will help push toxins out of your body and would be more effective still when combined with other foods that help to detoxify your system.
- This protein is highly nutritious and contains high amounts of antioxidants, chlorophyl and minerals.
- Hemp protein can also help regulate blood sugar due to it being high fibre with a low GI value. This makes it perfect for anybody who may suffer with intense sugar/carbohydrate cravings. Low GI foods regulate blood sugar levels to help keep them more stable and you full up. Find out more about low GI foods and try to eat them daily instead of junk foods.
- Immune system boost – hemp protein contains the globular proteins albumin and edestin, both of which help with anti-body formation thus making them vital for a healthy immune system.
- Hemp, being a plant protein, is superior to animal as it does not contribute to inflammation in the body like many animal products do. In fact, it may lower inflammation.
- Hemp is a perfect addition for those on a plant based or vegan diet plan.
Hemp Protein And Weight Loss
You can lose weight with hemp protein due to the fact that it’s so nutritious. You can have a hemp protein shake as a complete meal in itself!
Just pop 30g of protein powder into your blender (you want it to be 30g total protein, not 30g of over-all powder). Add 1 pre-sliced, frozen, very ripe banana (which are a rockstar fruit in themselves), a couple of dates (the perfect training food) and some plant based milk and blend. You will end up with a delicious, frothy, super filling shake for around 350 calories.
Why not check out some more fat burning shakes?
Fat burning chocolate pudding recipe
Another great way to keep your body in anabolic, fat burning mode is to have a high protein shake OR this amazing chocolate pudding first thing in the morning with very little carbs.
We are not promoting the Keto diet here, just to be clear. But, eating very low carb for breakfast will keep your body in faster fat burning mode after your night’s fasting; until lunchtime at least.
To make this addictive chocolate pudding, you will need:-
- 30g total hemp protein
- 1/2 a medium, ripe and soft avocado for healthy fats
- 1 tsp of 100% cacao powder
- Sugar-free plant milk (around 1 inch worth in your blender)
- Some kind of natural, sugar-free sweetener such as xylitol or stevia to taste.
Mix everything in your blender until silky smooth like a pudding texture. You want to keep it as firm as possible whilst still getting a good blend going, so add your plant milk slowly.
It’s a good tip to use ingredients straight from the fridge because you want this pudding to be chilled for better taste results.
The combination of the protein and fats from the avocado (combined with the low carb effect) will keep you full for around 5 hours. This means 5 hours of higher fat burning until you are hungry again, all for around 400 calories.
This also works so well due to the proteins and fats keeping your blood sugar stable. And, stable blood sugar helps with weight loss. Win, win!
Hemp Protein Shake
Hemp protein powder tastes better than some of the other plant protein powders out there. But, you will probably want to whiz it up with some nut milk and a banana (or some other sweetener). This will not only make it a lot tastier, but add extra nutrients and make it more filling.
Eating your shake like this will also make it a complete snack. Or, even a whole meal substitute for those wishing to lose weight or are in recovery. As it might take some getting used to you can build up the dosage incrementally to see what your gut tolerance to it is like.
You should also try making delicious, protein nice-cream from your protein powder. It tastes amazing and is a good way to hit your protein requirement.
How Much Protein Do I Need?
The average person needs about 1 gram of protein per kg of body weight per day, but this may also be dependent on individual needs.
It’s important to remember that the body can only assimilate about 30 grams of protein at a time, so consuming more than this may very well be useless. It could even go down as fat instead, if not burnt off.
Leave at least 2 hour periods in between high protein powder supplements and other meals.
If you feel you need some extra plant based amino acids in your life then supplementing with an organic hemp protein powder would be a great choice. We would advise to always buy organic. Not just for for superior quality, but also to cut your chances of the over consumption of any pesticides and fertilizers that may be lurking in there.
Hemp Protein Powder Side Effects
When you first start experimenting with any protein powders, possible side effects can occur as your body gets used to them.
Remember, protein powders contain just the isolated protein from the plant. Therefore, the ‘whole food’ has be fractured in some way, which can make it more unnatural for the body to digest.
In terms of a protein powder, extraction of protein has to be done, otherwise you would find it hard to eat enough of the whole food to get the protein you require (or if you did you would end up consuming way too many calories).
Having said that, there are now companies making protein powder out of the whole food. These may suit you better if you can’t get on with the other kind, as they are way more natural.
Possible side effects include:-
- BLOATING AND DIARRHEA – This can be more prevalent in the beginning, but as your body becomes accustomed to protein powders you will more than likely find that it eases off. If it doesn’t, then you should consider changing to another protein powder, or ideally use a blend.
- POSSIBLE THC SENSITIVITY – Really rare, but some people have found that hemp can have side effects such as hallucinations or feeling of euphoria a bit like the drug itself. This however, is very unusual and ONLY if hemp is consumed in very high amounts. It should never be an issue if you stick to the guidelines on the packaging.
Hemp Vs Whey Protein
Both of these powders have a compete amino aid profile, but you may find more gastrointestinal problems can occur with whey (which is dairy based). This is for the simple fact that a lot of people are dairy intolerant, especially in the high doses that occur in an isolated protein powder.
Plant based proteins are also cleaner, more anti inflammatory, and therefore less acid forming than animal products. These extra benefits alone can also make a difference to your general health and recovery times after exercise.
Protein Powder Blends
Another great option that you could go for is a plant based protein blend. It’s always good to shake things up and not stick to the same protein sources all the time. Doing this will be sure to give you an array of ALL the amino acids and nutrients vital to health.
Blends are usually specially formulated to incorporate different protein sources in their perfect ratios for a complete amino acid profile.
There are some great protein powders available on the market right now. Many of them have added foods such as green superfood powders, digestive enzymes, nutrients, probiotics, and many other healthful additions all in one nutritious hit.
CONCLUSION
The best times to use a protein powder supplement is if you in training, doing lots of exercise, are wishing to cut fat and build muscle faster, want to boost weight loss (along with a calorie controlled diet).
If you are plant based or vegan and don’t obtain enough amino acids through foods (find out more here). Or, if you are sick and need to build yourself up in order to minimise muscle wastage you may also need a protein supplement.
I have not come across this term yet. Good to know about hemp protein. As a vegetarian, I am always looking for better ways to keep up. This is helpful
Thanks
Wonderful article, enjoyed reading it through and learning things I did not know before about plant based eating. Hopefully I can find ways to work this into my own life. It’s always great to stay healthy.
Hi Razzy, yes it sure is good to stay healthy and make sure you get enough plant protein.
I have used hemp protein a few times, but never knew the benefits, thanks for the detailed information I will continue to purchase the product thanks.
Hi Jamila, that’s great and yes, it truly is a wonderful product.
I actually wanted to find a vegan protein source which has high amounts of fiber because I simply can’t consume my daily requirement and after reading this, I am sure that hemp protein can help.
Hi Furkan, yes hemp would definitely be a good choice for you then. You may also want to mix it with a little pea, rice or some other protein powders (not soy for a guy unless you want lots of estrogen messing with your hormones) to get different nutrients and amino acid profiles, but this would be more for people doing high amounts of protein every day such as weight lifters. Hemp is actually good on its own anyway.
This sounds like a much better choice for someone like me, since I have a thyroid disorder and have to avoid soy. Hemp seeds are tasty, I’ve had them in salads, but never as powder. Thanks for the great suggestions and info!
Hi Penelope, yes too much soy can be bad for anybody, especially if you take it in an isolated form as in a soy protein powder. And I definitely wouldn’t recommend it for men as it is estrogenic. I can’t have it either as it throws my hormones out of wack, so as you can imagine, as a vegan, it is hard to find food choices as most vegan foods are substituted with soy protein. I just have to stick to lots of nuts, seeds and pulses.
Yes, I love hemp seeds too! They tasted totally different to the powder, but that is because the powder has had its protein isolated and most of the fats taken out in order to get a much higher protein content.
Wow, what a superb information, very very helpful. Many people are unaware of plant proteins and think that proteins can only be consumed from meat which is wrong. Superb information and I am going to forward this to many people I know. I am a big fan of your writing and the type of information you share in your articles, thank you.
Thanks Sara, I’m happy you are a fan of my articles, as I am yours. Yes, most people believe that protein must come from animal products. I have had many people ask me where I get my protein from on my plant based diet so I always have a list ready in my head to tel them. Ha ha. The truth is there are just an abundance of plant based proteins, and personally I feel (as do many vegans) that they are better than animal proteins as in they are lighter and cleaner and not so acid forming (as in they cause inflammation in the body). We all know now that chronic inflammation is the root cause of so many illnesses and diseases.
I can actually say first hand that I believe this to be true due to the fact that in the last year since I have eaten plant based I have not been sick once, even though I work in a job where I am around sick people a lot I never catch anything. I put this totally down to not having the inflammation in my body that I had previously as a meat and dairy eater.
Hi Stefanie,
This is a very informative post on plant protein. I especially like the green superfoods as a workout supplement because of their diverse benefits.
They not only build muscle tissue and give you that extra energy, but they also prevent several life threatening ailments. They also promote a sense of well being.
Hi Oska, yes hemp is just amazing for so many things as we are now discovering, and it’s superior protein is another one of those things to add on to the list. I use hemp protein a lot but I prefer to mix it into a blend with something like brown rice or pea rather than have just hemp alone This gives it a better rounded amino acid profile and also makes it taste better, plus gives it a better texture.
You are right about the sense of well-being you get from eating plant based. I have never felt so good, slept so well, or indeed looked so good as I do now I am mostly vegan.
Must say Stefanie, another fantastic article. Every time I come to your website to learn more about taking care of myself you always deliver. I never heard of hemp powder as a way to get the protein you need, and you shared all the benefits that go along with it too. I am definitely going to give this a try. I also was surprised when you said our body’s don’t produce the protein we need. I believe many can benefit from your articles and will continue to share them.
Thank you so much and look forward to your next one,
David
Hi David, well I’m glad you are enjoying my posts. I like to educate on plant based eating as I believe it is one of the best ways for people to help protect themselves against so many diseases. Along with keeping fit of course!
Our bodies can only produce protein after we have eaten protein (which contains amino acids); it’s the amino acid’s in the protein we eat that are then used to build muscle etc. But we do make some amino acid’s, just not all, which is why some of them are called essential amino acid’s and some not… it’s a bit complicated ha ha. But it is however, vital that we get enough of these essential amino acid’s to stay healthy. Hemp protein has a good profile of these, hence why it is a popular one in the plant based nutrition industry.
This is a very interesting post.I am just wondering is the hemp protein made from the hemp cannabis plant, or from another? For 2 years I have a lot of wild hemp plants growing here.
Hi Robin, yes the hemp protein is made from the hemp plant but not the same part of the plant that is used as a drug. Hemp is now being used for loads of things including the CBD oil, but none of it gets you high. It’s interesting you have lots of hem plants growing wild. What part of the world do you live in?
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