One of the industries that have greatly grown over the years happens to be that of protein powders. The truth is that a whole lot of people now opt for protein powders. There are a lot of brands and different varieties available for people to opt for. Many people that are active physically such as athletes and people that love going to the gym have this on their list. And the reason for that is quite obvious. Protein powders are known to provide you with the necessary nutrients needed for the building of muscles. For today, we will be taking a look at hemp protein powder. We will be looking at what it is to offer. And while we’re at it, we will be taking a look at hemp protein amino acid profile.
You might not know it, but hemp protein powder is made from hemp seeds. And this happens to be one of the best sources of protein among plants. So if you’re concerned about increasing your protein intake then you might want to opt for this guy right here. If you’re vegan that you’re right on track. This is one of the best vegan protein powders. And you wouldn’t be making a mistake opting for this guy right here. Well, if you’re not yet convinced about the goodness of this product you can keep reading. We will be looking at some of the important benefits that you can get from this guy right here.
What is Hemp Protein Powder?
Hemp is a variety of the plant Cannabis sativa. This plant can be grown mainly for maximizing the production of seeds or even the fibers present inside the stalk. One thing that you must know is that this plant variety has no significant amount of the compound THC, which has psychoactive properties. So you can be rest assured that even when you eat this plant or its supplement derivatives you wouldn’t get high.
There are two main products gotten from hemp. One of the hemp seed oil. And the other which we will be talking about today is the hemp protein powder. This protein powder is known to have that nutty flavor. At the same time, it’s quite easy on taste buds.
One thing that you must know about hemp seeds is that it contains a whole lot of protein. It contains about 20 amino acids and the essential amino acids are even present. And if you fully understand the benefits and uses of amino acids in the body you would appreciate hemp seeds.
Another interesting thing about hemp protein is that it makes omega-3 as well as omega-6 available. The good thing is that the ratio of these two is quite balanced in this protein powder. The ratio is 3:1. That’s a good thing because omega-3 fatty acid is known to be a lot more beneficial. And because of that, it is needed in higher quantities than an omega-6 fatty acid.
Hemp Protein Amino Acid Profile and Nutrient Profile
As mentioned before, hemp protein is known to contain almost all the amino acids. To give you a better view of the amino acids present we will be taking a look at the amino acid profile. Take note that we will be looking at the percent of amino acids found in hemp protein. Let’s start from the highest to the lowest.
| EAAs | NEAAs | ||
| Histidine | 2.7% | Alanine | 4.7% |
| Isoleucine | 4.5% | Arginine | 11.4% |
| Leucine | 6.8% | Aspartic acid | 10.7% |
| Lysine | 3.8% | Cystine | 2% |
| Methionine | 2.6% | Glycine | 4.8% |
| Phenylalanine | 4.7% | Glutamic acid | 17.6% |
| Threonine | 3.9% | Proline | 4.6% |
| Tryptophan | 1.1% | Serine | 5% |
| Valine | 5.6% | Tyrosine | 3.3% |
From the list above we can see that hemp protein is a complete protein. It has all the amino acids with a fair amount of essential amino acids needed by the body. One thing though that some people debate is the fact that the essential amino acids present are of small amounts in the protein powder. But even at that if you compare it to a lot of protein powders out there the difference isn’t so glaring.
Also, this protein powder can provide a good amount of chlorophyll, dietary fiber, chlorophyll, and antioxidants. You can also get a good amount of minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium from this protein.
Health Benefits of Hemp Protein Powder
- Helps increase protein in the body: Hemp protein is a protein powder that aims at increasing the amount of protein in your body. Protein is something that our body can’t do without. And that’s because many parts of our body are made up of protein. So for certain parts of the body to grow and develop enough protein is needed. And many conditions come with a decreased amount of protein in the body.
- Reduces the risk of osteoporosis: One thing the hemp protein is high in is an omega-6 fatty acid, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid). Some studies suggest that people that do not take enough amount of EPA and GLA are prone to have bone loss. When older women took supplements that contained EPA and GLA there was reduced bone loss. This indicates that there is a link between these fatty acids and bone.
- Improves heart health: Hemp protein contains a good amount of omega-3 fatty acid. One of the omega-3 fatty acids happens to be linoleic acid. And this is known to help improve cardiovascular health. some studies prove that this fatty acid helps improve heart health. It does this by lowering blood pressure, increasing the good cholesterol, and reducing the bad cholesterol.
- Helps cleanse the colon: So another thing that hemp protein is rich in is fiber. And one of the benefits of fiber is that it is a natural colon cleanser. It helps reduce toxins in the body and also reduces constipation. Some studies also suggest that fiber might affect protecting the colon from developing colorectal cancer.
You might be asking, “why is it even important to know hemp protein amino acid profile”? This is very important so that you will have an idea of how to need to make up. So take a look at the amino acids low in hemp protein and try as much as you can to get those amino acids from other sources. That way you are sure that you are getting as many amino acids as the body needs.