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When
you hear the word "hemp," generally
the last thing that comes to mind is protein and
bodybuilding. Without going into detail on the
other "psychoactive" strains of hemp,
it's time you learned more about what hemp can
do for you from a nutritional point of view. I
know I was very surprised to learn how complete
a food hemp is!
I personally
tested a hemp protein supplement for a period
of 2 months, using NO other supplemental protein
source. It was tough to give up the whey that
had I been using for many years but, to give hemp
a fair trial, I needed to be sure that the results
wouldn't be affected by other supplemental protein
sources.
So
for 2 months, it was just hemp protein...
Now,
hemp is one of the most versatile plants in the
world - it can be used for anything from making
clothes to fuel and even autoparts (all Mercedes/Chrysler
models use hemp-composite side panels because
they're more dent-resistant). For our purposes,
we will focus entirely on its nutritional/protein
content.
Hemp
protein, while being a plant source, is actually
a surprisingly complete protein. Hemp protein
contains all 20 known amino acids including the
10 essential amino acids (8 in adults - 2 more
are considered essential in children and seniors)
our bodies cannot produce. Proteins are considered
complete when they contain all 10 essential amino
acids in a sufficient quantity and ratio to meet
the body's needs.
Hemp
also has an extremely good essential fatty acid
profile - it contains the fatty acids in perfect
balance to each other (Omega 3 and 6 Essential
Fatty Acids (EFAs), in the near perfect ratio
of 1:3 respectively).
One
of the other major benefits of hemp protein supplementation
is the very high insoluble fiber content of the
powder. Fiber helps keep your blood sugar stable
(ideal for fat loss), not to mention helping to
keep you "regular." On the ingredient
label, you'll see just how much fiber is in hemp...ALL
the carb content is fiber, making it an excellent
protein for low-carb diets.
The Benefits of Hemp Protein:
So
what does all this mean for you? Here are the
main benefits of hemp protein supplementation
that I discovered in my 2 month trial:
1.
First and foremost - no loss of muscle mass or
decline in muscle growth
One
of the main things I worried about when switching
to a plant-based protein would be loss of muscle
mass. Could a plant protein really provide a complete
protein and in substantial enough quantities to
keep muscle AND help support muscle growth? The
answer is "absolutely!" In using the
hemp protein, muscle building was just as good,
if not better, than with whey protein or protein
blends. No problems at all there.
2.
Excellent protein quality and usability
A better
quality protein is more bioavailble in terms of
digestibility and ability to be used in the body.
When you're training with weights, you want a
protein that is going to be well-absorbed and
easily utilized by the body. Hemp fits the bill
here. Being a "whole-food" supplement
means it already contains many of the enzymes
necessary for optimal digestion.
3.
No protein-bloating
If
you've ever taken a big protein shake (like whey
or milk protein), you're most likely familiar
with that "expanding" feeling that happens
soon after. This does NOT happen with hemp protein.
Whatever the reason, be it no milk-based ingredients
or that it's a plant protein, taking hemp didn't
cause any bloating at all.
4.
No protein breath
Those
who take milk-based proteins like whey or casein
can definitely understand this one. Your mouth
tastes and smells like rotten milk soon after
you drink it. Hemp protein, however, doesn't leave
a sour aftertaste. I know my wife was very appreciative
of this fact and insisted I get more hemp protein
based solely on that!
5.
No unnecessary ingredients
The
hemp protein product that I used in my test had
only one single ingredient: hemp meal - no artificial
sweeteners, flavors or anything not found in the
hemp plant itself. To be honest, adding any other
nutrients in would be totally unnecessary due
to the nutritional completeness of the hemp. So
if you're concerned about getting artificial sweeteners
in your protein powder (especially when on lower-carb
diets), hemp is an excellent way to go.
6.
High Fiber = Cleaner Insides
One
of the least talked-about aspects of health is
intestinal health. But it's EXTREMELY important
to mention because a cleaner intestinal tract
makes for improved nutrient absorption. The better
you absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, the
healthier overall you will be. Plus, the better
your nutrient absorption, the more efficient your
body will be both in fat loss and muscle building.
The high amounts of insoluble fiber found in hemp
protein really help keep your digestive tract
moving along and functioning well.
The Downsides of Hemp Protein:
Those
were the major benefits of hemp supplementation
that I experienced during my 2 month test. What
about downsides? There are a few, but in my experience,
they were relatively minor compared to the major
benefits of the hemp.
1.
Taste
Because
there are no other ingredients, what you see is
what you get. It's a plant-based protein and if
you take it straight, it's going to taste like
a plant. If you're used to oversweetened protein
powders, it's going to come as a bit of a shock
to you.
To
me, however, this natural taste was actually a
very positive thing (I was getting a bit sick
of those oversweet protein drinks). I quite enjoyed
the nutty flavor of the hemp and would drink it
straight with water. I also tried mixing it with
orange juice and it tasted quite good. Bottom
line: don't come in expecting a strawberry shortcake
flavor when you drink it but if you like natural
flavor, you'll love this.
2.
Cost
Hemp
protein is not a "bargain-basement, 10 pounds
for 20 bucks" type of protein powder. It
is relatively expensive because it must be processed
carefully to maintain its high nutritional content
(especially the Essential Fatty Acids). Being
extremely fresh and containing no preservatives,
it's also extremely oxidative, meaning it'll go
bad much faster than regular protein. This is
why it's generally sold only in 1 or 2 lb containers.
Personally, I used 1 lb containers, each of which
lasted me about 8 to 10 days (and I was taking
it fairly frequently throughout the day).
But
here's the upside...you don't need to use as much
of it to get the benefits! Rather than slugging
down 40 to 60 gram+ whey protein shakes, I found
myself taking only 10 to 30 grams of hemp at a
time (the higher dose was post-workout). The body
processes it very efficiently and I found I did
just fine on the relatively lower dose in terms
of muscle maintenance and muscle building.
Overall,
as far as cost goes, to me it was well worth the
price.
3.
Tidiness
This
was a very minor drawback that I found - because
the containers are small (1 lb) and the scoop
has a long handle in order to reach the bottom,
I found every time I pulled the scoop out of the
container, I spilled a little powder on the counter.
But if that's the worst thing that happens to
you in a day, count your blessings. Like I said,
it's a VERY minor thing.
Conclusion:
When
I first decided to give the hemp protein a try,
I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The information
I read on it was very positive but I had always
used whey or egg-based protein supplements. Would
hemp do the job?
Hemp
passed the test with flying colors. If you're
looking for a high-quality protein that has the
potential to really improve your health, I HIGHLY
recommend hemp protein as an excellent addition
to your supplement regimen.
As
far as where to get hemp protein to try for yourself,
I like Nutiva as a brand:
http://www.nutiva.com/
They
actually have a new product out that contains
50% protein (the normal hemp has a smaller amount
of protein per weight). Very good stuff.
Let
me put it this way...it's not often that I include
a new supplement in my core supplement regimen
and I'm CONSTANTLY testing new supplements to
see how well they work. In the past 6 months,
I've tried 11 new supplements. The ONLY one to
make the cut is hemp protein.
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