Hemp Protein Powders: Best of 2020

• For Building Muscle

For building muscle, research indicates you should be taking between roughly 0.73 and 1.1 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight (1.6 to 2.4 grams per kilogram of weight).¹A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults²Do athletes need more dietary protein and amino acids? The heavier your athletic activity, the more protein you’ll need.

To build muscle with hemp protein powder, it would be best to take either Alaya Plant Protein Blend (20.6 grams of protein) or Hemp Yeah! Max Protein (18.8 grams of protein) for their high protein content.

• For Weight Loss

If weight loss is your goal, you’ll want to consume less protein (and fewer calories) overall. Research has shown that between 0.36 and 0.73 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight is ideal for this. (That’s 0.8 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.)³A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults⁴Dietary protein intake and human health. And again, the more active you are, the more protein you’ll need.

To maintain a lower calorie intake, Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein and Terrasoul Hemp Protein Powder are great options, with each at 90 calories and 15 grams of protein per serving.

• For Health and Wellbeing

If you’re just wanting a healthy nutrition supplement, your protein intake should be similar to the recommendation immediately above. That’s 0.36 to 0.73 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight (or 0.8 to 1.6 grams per kilogram), depending on your activity level. We recommend sticking with the go-to Navitas 100% Hemp Protein Powder for that.

• For Building Muscle

Research has shown that for building muscle, the best time to take protein is immediately after your workout.

Protein/carbohydrate mixes, such as hemp protein powder, have a slew of benefits when taken right after a workout. These benefits include the following:

• Increased muscle protein synthesis (tissue building)⁵Reduced resting skeletal muscle protein synthesis is rescued by resistance exercise and protein ingestion following short-term energy deficit.⁶Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Repletion, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Repair Following Exercise
• More muscle mass⁷A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults
• Better glycogen production and storage (energy)⁸Early postexercise muscle glycogen recovery is enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement⁹Postexercise protein-carbohydrate and carbohydrate supplements increase muscle glycogen in men and women
• Boosted strength and performance¹⁰THE EFFECT OF A CARBOHYDRATE AND PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT ON RESISTANCE EXERCISE PERFORMANCE, HORMONAL RESPONSE, AND MUSCLE DAMAGE¹¹Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans
• Decreased muscle damage¹²Effect of milk-based carbohydrate-protein supplement timing on the attenuation of exercise-induced muscle damage
• Less delayed-onset muscle soreness¹³Acute milk-based protein–CHO supplementation attenuates exercise-induced muscle damage

This is helpful for both men and women. As explained below, muscle mass is very important when it comes to fat loss. (You can check out our guide on the Top 20 Best Protein Powders for Women, which has more information.)

• For Weight Loss

If your goal is to lose weight, there are two timing factors to bear in mind.

Most importantly, if you’re working out at all, you’ll want to drink a protein shake immediately after your workout. This is for the reasons listed above, such as increased muscle mass and strength. (Muscle mass consumes more calories than fat at rest, so it’s really helpful for fat loss.)

Secondly, if you have the calorie budget to spare, it’s better to drink your protein shakes with your meals as opposed to in between meals. Research has shown that this helps with fat loss.¹⁴Effects of protein supplements consumed with meals, versus between meals, on resistance training–induced body composition changes in adults: a systematic review

• Protein Content & Quality

Hemp protein powder is a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids needed by the body. These amino acids are vital for building tissue and maintaining the body’s functions.

There is a caveat, though. Hemp seeds tend to be low in the amino acid lysine. This means that you need to consume more hemp protein powder than, say, whey or casein in order to meet the body’s full amino acid needs.

This isn’t a problem for most people, though. As long as you’re consuming a variety of protein sources, you should be meeting your essential amino acid needs. Or you can opt for a blend of hemp with other plant protein sources, such as Alaya’s hemp, pea, and rice protein blend.

• Fiber

One of the major reasons many people opt for some of the best hemp protein powders is their fiber content.

Plant-based protein sources have more fiber than animal sources, and hemp in particular is packed with fiber. Most hemp powders contain between 7 and 13 grams of fiber per 30-gram serving.

The fiber content depends partly on whether the hemp seed has been de-hulled. The hulls of the seeds contain a lot of fiber, so hemp protein powder from seeds with the hulls intact will have more fiber, but less protein.

Hemp seed fiber is insoluble, which means it does a great job of moving material through the digestive tract. As such, high-fiber brands are often the best hemp protein powders for those suffering from constipation and other digestive issues. For this, we recommend Mighty Seed Hemp Protein Powder for its higher-than-average fiber content.

• Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are very important polyunsaturated fats that the body can’t produce on its own. Much like essential amino acids, these fats are termed essential fatty acids, and must come from diet.

Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in brain function, anti-inflammation, heart health, and more. Deficiencies are linked to diabetes, heart disease, and other issues. Omega-6 fatty acids are primarily used for energy.

The body needs a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Unfortunately, Western diets tend to have too little omega-3 and too much omega-6, which can lead to issues such as increased inflammation.

Hemp protein powder can be a good solution for this problem. Hemp seeds contain both of these fatty acids, with most varieties containing much more omega-3 fatty acids than omega-6. This helps tip the scales to a more balanced position.

If you’re wanting more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, you can’t go wrong with most hemp products. Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein is one of the best hemp protein powders for boosting omega-3 levels.

1. De-Hulling

After the hemp seeds are harvested, the rough, protective hull is typically removed. You may see some hemp protein powders advertised as “shelled” or “de-hulled,” which is what this is referring to.

A few brands opt not to de-hull the hemp seeds. This makes the powder more fibrous, and shifts the protein-fiber balance to be a little more fiber-heavy. This can be helpful for people with digestive issues, though the increased fiber content means the powder will be more difficult to mix into beverages.

2. Pressing

The de-hulled or whole hemp seeds are pressed and compacted into a pasty cake. Most manufacturers refer to this process as a “cold press,” as no added heat or chemicals are involved in this process.

3. Removal of Fats

Typically, manufacturers will reduce the fat content of the hemp seed cake. A sort of tumble-dry process can be used to do this.

However, not all of the fat content can be completely removed from hemp protein powder. This has its pros and cons.

First, the fats in question are largely the omega-3 fatty acids discussed above. These are essential for the body, and play important roles in brain health, heart health, and more.

However, fatty acids have a limited shelf life. This is why the expiration date on hemp protein powders tends to be much shorter than that of, say, whey or casein protein powder.

4. Powdering

Finally, the reduced-fat hemp seed cake is ground into a fine powder. The dried, ground powder is then packaged and is ready for consumption.

• Building and Preserving Muscle Mass

Many studies have demonstrated that drinking protein shakes in combination with exercising regularly results in increased muscle mass.¹⁵Whey Protein Supplementation Improves Body Composition and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis¹⁶A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults

There are a few reasons for this, but one is that drinking protein after a workout has two immediate effects. First, the supply of fresh amino acids from the protein stops the body from breaking down muscle tissue. Second, the body simply creates muscle tissue at a higher rate when supplied with amino acids after a workout.¹⁷Reduced resting skeletal muscle protein synthesis is rescued by resistance exercise and protein ingestion following short-term energy deficit.¹⁸Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids¹⁹Protein requirements and muscle mass/strength changes during intensive training in novice bodybuilders.²⁰Effects of exaggerated amino acid and protein supply in man.

• Boosting Performance and Decreasing Soreness

Protein supplements help with more than just muscle size. Research has shown that drinking a protein shake after workouts leads to increased strength, performance levels, and one repetition max.²¹A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults/mfn]²¹Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans²²Effects of resistance training and protein plus amino acid supplementation on muscle anabolism, mass, and strength

There are three major reasons behind this. First, protein supplements simply help the body produce more muscle tissue, as discussed above.

Second, drinking protein after an intense workout helps restore muscle glycogen, a primary energy source. ²³Early postexercise muscle glycogen recovery is enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement²⁴Carbohydrate-protein complex increases the rate of muscle glycogen storage after exercise²⁵Postexercise protein-carbohydrate and carbohydrate supplements increase muscle glycogen in men and women²⁶Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Repletion, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Repair Following Exercise

And finally, post-workout protein also reduces muscle soreness. Since sore, damaged muscle fiber can’t perform as well as it normally could, reducing soreness results in increased performance and resultant strength gains over time. ²⁷THE EFFECT OF A CARBOHYDRATE AND PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT ON RESISTANCE EXERCISE PERFORMANCE, HORMONAL RESPONSE, AND MUSCLE DAMAGE²⁸Effect of milk-based carbohydrate-protein supplement timing on the attenuation of exercise-induced muscle damage²⁹Acute milk-based protein–CHO supplementation attenuates exercise-induced muscle damage