Hemp is a plant with many uses,and it is found in products such as diapers, canvas, biodegradable plastics, socks, fiberboard, soap and cosmetics. The seeds from the hemp plant – called cannabis sativa – are very nutritious. In fact, hemp seeds have one of the highest amount of proteins of any food – only soy has more.
Hemp is a complete protein, meaning it contains all eight essential amino acids that are sufficient to meet our bodies’ protein needs. Additionally, hemp is easy to digest because it has the globular proteins albumin and edestin that dissolve easily. As if these reasons weren’t enough to include hempseed proteins into your diet, they also are high in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids – fats that are important for heart and brain health. While red meat and dairy products are good sources of protein as well, they can be too high in saturated fat. In contrast, hemp has very low levels of saturated fat and is a great option for vegetarians and vegans to get sufficient protein and other nutrients in their diets.
Finally, hemp protein is sustainable. It grows easily in many environments, and it grows tall very quickly, choking out weeds. Thus, there is no need to use pesticides on hemp products. Compared to other sources of protein like animals, soy and other crops, hemp protein is less environmentally damaging and more cost-friendly.
If you’re considering trying out hemp seed as a sustainable and highly nutritious protein source, one good way to start is buy trying Naturade’s VeganSmart All-In-One Nutritional Shake, which contains hemp seed as just one non-GMO plant-based protein in its complete protein blend. VeganSmart is gluten-, cholesterol-, trans fat- and dairy-free and it contains probiotics and digestive enzymes for gastrointestinal health.
