What’s the difference between plant and animal proteins?
When you eat protein, it’s broken down into chains of amino acids. Proteins and amino acids are critical for most metabolic processes. There are about 20 different types of amino acids that your body uses to build protein. And depending on the protein source, it’s likely to contain different combinations of these amino acids. A lot of people claim that animal proteins are better for you because they’re more complete and contain a better balance of all the different amino acids that our bodies need. Some plant proteins are considered less balanced and less complete because they contain less of some of these amino acids. In particular, a lot of plant proteins are low in the amino acids methionine, tryptophan, lysine and isoleucine.
What are amino acids?
These amino acids are critical for things like your metabolism, growth and muscle maintenance, as well as things you may not have realised are controlled by amino acids. Tryptophan, for example, one of the amino acids that plant proteins are often deficient in, is responsible for successful production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. That’s the chemical produced by your brain that’s responsible for your good mood and feelings of wellbeing and safety.
So yeah, these amino acids are pretty darn important. But recently, there’s been a big push towards plant-based proteins, because of the detrimental effect that a lot of farming has on the environment. Vegan and vegetarian diets are becoming more popular, and so there’s been an increased focus on plant proteins.
What is hemp protein?
Hemp protein comes from the hemp plant, and its made by grinding hemp seeds into a super-fine powder. It has a slightly nutty flavour and it’s often added to smoothies and juices to increase the protein content.
The main reason that hemp protein is so exciting is that it’s a plant protein which seems to contain all nine of the essential amino acids that human beings need to get from their food in order to live. This is particularly unusual because most plant proteins are deficient in several of these amino acids.
One study in particular compared the amino acid profile of hemp protein to egg whites, which are considered to be one of the best, most complete sources of protein, and found it was quite similar. And although it contains lower percentages of protein than soy or pea protein powder, it requires less refining and processing in order to achieve this percentage and its unique amino acid combination.
Why is hemp protein so exciting?
1. Easy to digest
This is exciting stuff because historically, animal proteins have been the best source of easily digestible protein. Although there are other good plant sources of protein, a lot of them can be difficult to digest and even high protein content may not be easily digestible or accessible to your body. But research shows that approximately 91-98% of the protein in hemp is easily digestible. Which means the protein from hemp protein is more readily accessible and usable by your body! According to the research, powders made from cold pressed seeds are the most easily digested and also the highest in nutrients.
2. High in fibre
Most hemp proteins contain about 7–8 grams of fibre per 1/4 cup (30 grams) and provide 18–28% of your daily fibre needs. That’s considerably more than other plant based protein powders like soy, pea and rice, which tend to be super-refined and quite low in fibre. Because it is high in both protein and fibre, hemp protein is likely to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
3. Very nutritious
Hemp seeds are super dooper nutritious. Research shows they’re particularly packed with the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper. They also contain antioxidant compounds known as lignanamides, which help to protect your body from oxidative stress and damage, and can help to reduce your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
4. Source of unsaturated fats
As well as being easy to digest, rich in vitamins and minerals and high in fibre, hemp protein is also a good source of healthy, unsaturated fats, which are great for your heart health. When hemp protein powder is made, the seeds are pressed to remove a lot of the oils, but they still retain about 10% of this fat content. A 30 gram serve contains about 3 grams of fat, most of which is unsaturated. Hemp protein also contains an ideal ratio of Omega-6s to Omega-3s of 3:1. The typical western diet provides a very unbalanced ratio of these essential fatty acids (around 15:1 is considered fairly normal). This unbalanced ratio is believed to be behind many modern afflictions and diseases like heart disease and cancer. It’s believed that consuming foods that are balanced in this ratio may help to counteract a lot of these diseases.
What does it taste like?
Many people describe hemp protein as earthy or nutty in flavour. Because it’s less refined than a lot of other protein powders, it’s also often described as gritty in texture. It generally blends well into smoothies and juices, but if you’re someone who likes to mix their protein powder with water, you may find the texture slightly sandy.
What do you think, MasterFasters? Are you open to new foods like this? Will you be giving hemp protein a shot?