This package includes 45 servings, which are 1/4 cup each. Each serving provides 15g of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of omega fats.
PROS
1. There is only one ingredient: organic, ground hemp seeds.
2. This hemp protein powder has a mild, earthy taste, but rather than consuming it, as is, in plain water, I highly recommend placing it in a morning smoothie with fruit or vegetables and herb tea or juice as the liquid. It also helps to add some kind of natural sweetener, such as stevia or monk fruit powder.
3. It is certified organic and the certifier is listed.
4. The hemp seed is raw, not toasted, which preserves more nutrition.
5. The seeds are cold-pressed, which removes some of the naturally occurring hemp oil. Organic hemp products must be cold-pressed because they cannot use the toxic chemical, hexane, which is typically used by the processed-food industry to extract seed oils. Removing oil has some nutritional issues, however. (See below.)
5. The hemp is grown in Canada.
CONS
1. Though this organic protein powder is not sold in a thick, plastic canister (as is the case with far too many protein powder products), the manufacturer is not taking advantage of the biodegradable packaging that is readily available in the marketplace. All the manufacturer is offering is a reassurance that the packaging is “BPA-free.” That is NOT the same as saying the packaging is free from plastic or that it is biodegradable.
2. While hemp is extremely healthy, in order to obtain the same 20 grams of protein you would receive from a serving size of 2-3 tablespoons of other types of vegan protein powder, you would have to consume 1/3 cup of this protein powder to get that much protein. That’s a whole lot of powder to put in a morning smoothie. It can get really, really thick.
3. All hemp these days is expensive, because demand for it continues to rise as health-conscious consumers figure out how nutritious dietary hemp is. But it is even more expensive if it has been processed in any manner. Because this product consists solely of ground up hemp seeds, it is possible to save money by buying whole, organic, hulled hemp seeds (“hemp hearts”) and grinding them up yourself in a food processor or coffee grinder. Three tablespoons (28 grams/1 ounce) of ground hemp seeds provides 10 grams of protein, plus fiber and healthy omega-3 oil.
4. One of the main reasons consumers typically purchase whole, hulled hemp seeds is because of their high omega-3 content. The fact that the hemp seeds in this product have been “cold pressed” means that quite a bit of the healthy, omega-3-rich oil in the hemp seeds has been removed. There are two main reasons that some of the oil would be removed from the hemp seeds used to create protein powder: (a) The manufacturer can sell the extracted hemp oil as a separate, organic food product, which creates another income stream. (b) Removing some of the oil results in the ground seeds producing a powder that is less thick and clumpy, allowing it to flow better, creating an appearance similar to what consumers are used to seeing in any kind of powdered, processed food product.
5. These hemp seeds are most likely unhulled. The product information posted for this product, either on the Amazon product page, or on the package, does not mention whether the hemp seeds in this product are hulled or unhulled. That is useful for a consumer to know, and an oversight that this information is not provided. Unhulled hemp seeds are brown in color. Hulled hemp seeds are cream colored. When unhulled hemp seeds are ground up, the resulting powder is brown. When hulled hemp seeds are ground up, they are a cream or light-tan color. The protein powder in this package is medium-to-dark brown color, which indicates to me this protein powder is made of ground-up unhulled hemp seeds. Because less processing is involved in making protein powder from unhulled hemp seeds, the manufacturing costs are less and the profits are higher. But for the consumer, who is purchasing this product for purposes of protein, not as a fiber supplement, there is much more fiber in this product, and much less protein, than there would be if the manufacturer had used hulled hemp seeds.
NEUTRAL
1. As the package states, because this product is made of hemp seeds, which are high in fat (even after some of it has been removed by cold-pressing the seeds), it is crucial to refrigerate this protein powder after opening the package, because oil can turn rancid. Typically, for other vegan protein powders, such as pea or rice protein powder, refrigeration is not necessary, since they tend to be completely de-fatted.
INFORMATION ABOUT OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids whose health benefits have been well researched. These include EPA, DHA, and ALA:
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are called marine omega-3 fatty acids, because they are found, fully bioavailable, in fatty fish and certain algae, most especially the algae, Schizochytrium.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found in plant sources such as green leafy vegetables, soybeans, walnuts, and seeds such as chia, flax, and hemp, with flaxseeds containing the highest amount. It is important to note that, in order to obtain omega-3 health benefits from these sources, the body must first convert the ALA into EPA and DHA, and this conversion process is inefficient in humans. On average, only 1-10% of ALA is converted into EPA, and only 1-5% into DHA. The amount of the conversion is also impacted by the availability in the body of adequate amounts of the following nutrients: B6, B7, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron, which most vegans and vegetarians probably already supplement in their diet (especially B vitamins). Note that the U.S Institute of Medicine recommends a daily ALA intake of 1600 mg per day for men and 1100 mg per day for women. It is difficult to obtain remotely enough ALA simply from leafy greens because, for example, 1 cup of raw spinach only has 40 mg of ALA, and 1 cup of raw kale only has a little more ALA at 120 mg But if a vegan or vegetarian (or a meat eater, for that matter) is willing to add the following seeds and nuts to their diet on a regular basis, it is easily possible to obtain an adequate dose of EPA and DHA from the diet alone:
One ounce (28 grams) of chia seeds provides 4,915 mg of ALA. The body would convert this to between 49-490 mg of EPA and 49-245 mg DHA.
One ounce (28 grams) of flaxseeds contains 6,388 mg of ALA. The body would convert this to between 64-640 mg of EPA and 64-320 mg DHA.
One ounce (28 grams) of hemp seeds contains 6,000 mg of ALA. The body would convert this to between 60-600 mg of EPA and 60-300 mg DHA.
One ounce (28 grams) of walnuts contains 2,542 mg of ALA. The body would convert this to between 25-254 mg of EPA and 25-127 mg DHA.
NOTE: In order to fully digest seeds, it is a good idea to grind them up in a food processor or coffee grinder before adding them to either one’s morning smoothie or morning cereal, or sprinkling them over a salad or casserole. If consumed whole, they will very likely simply pass through the GI tract undigested and become expensive fiber.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Research has indicated that the most health benefits are obtained from an omega-3 supplement or food product which offers a combination of EPA and DHA. Some of these benefits include:
1. Anti-inflammatory. Research indicates that this supplement can help reduce inflammation. This is very important because, over the course of many decades, an abundance of scientific research has indicated that inflammation is either the direct cause or a major contributing factor in virtually all disease, including especially: cancer, heart disease and autoimmune disorders such as arthritis.
2. Prevents heart disease and stroke. Research indicates that this supplement can help reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and increase blood flow by improving the ability of blood vessels to dilate normally.
3. Improved eye health. Research indicates that this supplement can help reduce the incidence of dry eyes, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.
4. Improved brain function. Research indicates that this supplement can help improve mental clarity and lower the risk of dementia.
RELEVANT RESEARCH
Bowman, L., et al. ASCEND Study Collaborative Group. Effects of n-3 Fatty Acid Supplements in Diabetes Mellitus.N Engl J Med. 2018;379:1540-50.
Chen, Q., et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acid for sudden cardiac death prevention in patients with cardiovascular disease: a contemporary meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2011;25:259-65.
Hammond, B., et al. Safety assessment of DHA-rich microalgae from Schizochytrium sp. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2001 Apr;33(2):205-17.
Harris, W., et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in cardiac biopsies from heart transplantation patients: correlation with erythrocytes and response to supplementation. Circulation. 2004;110:1645-9.
Harris, W., et al. The Omega-3 Index: a new risk factor for death from coronary heart disease? Prev Med. 2004;39:212-20.
Hu, Y., et al. Marine omega-3 supplementation and cardiovascular disease: an updated meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials involving 127 477 participants. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019;8:e013543.
SanGiovanni, J., et al. The role of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in health and disease of the retina. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2005;24:87-138.
Trikalinos, T., et al. Effects of eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexanoic acid on mortality across diverse settings: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and prospective cohorts. Nutritional Resaerch Series vol. 4. In. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2012.
Wang, C., et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular disease.external link disclaimer Summary, evidence report/technology assessment no. 94. (Prepared by the Tufts New England Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center, Boston, MA.) AHRQ Publication No. 04-E009-1. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2004.
Wang, X., et al. Marine microalgae bioengineered Schizochytrium sp. meal hydrolysates inhibits acute inflammation. Sci Rep. 8, 2018 9848.
| 1.0 servings per container | |
| Serving size | 3 Tbsp (30g) |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| % Daily Value* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
