NutivaOrganic Cold-Pressed Raw Hemp Seed Protein Powder,15g

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.PROS1. 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.CONS1. 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.NEUTRAL1. 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 ACIDSThere 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 BENEFITSResearch 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 RESEARCHBowman, 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.

Despite claims to the contrary, hemp protein is not a complete protein. It is very weak in lysine, and doesn't have enough leucine and tryptophan. Because of this, if you eat it in large quantities, especially in a vegetarian diet, it cannot count gram for gram. That is not to say it is not a very positive element of a well balanced diet in reasonable diet proportions or when complementary proteins balance the weaknesses. One tip: Protein from almonds and almond milk are also just as incomplete in lysine.Hemp seed protein has all essential amino acids - just not in the optimal proportions. You'd be hard pressed to find any protein that was nearly devoid of even one of them (ok, gelatin is a rare contender). ... it is good to separate the hype in the marketing of nutritional supplements and then to enjoy it for what it offers ;-)According to the amino acid data Nutiva, this manufacturer of this natural hemp 50% protein powder, provides on THEIR website - put in terms of proportions of each of the essential amino acids per actual gram of the hemp protein, this is NOT complete protein by definition.The standard "complete protein" definition you can find on Wikipedia defined, or on the Self (Nutrition) site is, in mg per gram overall protein:Tryptophan................7Threonine................27Isoleucine...............25Leucine..................55Lysine...................51Methionine+Cystine.......25Phenylalanine+Tyrosine...47Valine...................32Histidine................18Hemp: Lysine is only 27/51: incomplete.If you look at the essential aa's stated on the Nutiva website and compared them to the definition of a complete protein above you will notably find less than 55% of the complete proportion of lysine. Tryptophan and BCAA leucine are also coming up short: three of the nine essential amino acids are thus lacking vs. a "complete protein". That gives hemp seed protein quality score of under 55 when a complete protein needs to be 100 or more. Normally protein quality is nothing to worry about since randomly several sources are combined and usually work out well. But some people seem to really push their protein intake very high for bulking up, etc., and others, usually not healthy are trying to supplement their needs to meet their numbers. In both of those cases protein quality will make or break their strategy. That is not to say they need to have complete proteins each time they eat: Only; they need to approximate optimal human essential amino acid proportions basically over a day or so.The bioavailability of hemp protein is decent - somewhere around 80% bioavailability - typical for veggies which presents a challenge. Compared to milk, egg or chicken, for example, these score in the high 90's for bioavailability in digestion (flavor and whether it agrees with you are different concepts). In perspective, and unfortunately, that makes hemp's protein quality worse than the approximate 55 ...All the above said hemp can be GREAT if balanced properly in the diet! You just need to quantify what you are getting and tailor it to your needs, when you use the supplements as a major portion of your diet.SUGGESTION: The bottom line is if you are in need of protein supplementation, be careful with counting on large amounts of hemp if you haven't complemented the relatively "low protein quality" with other "low quality" or otherwise complementary proteins (don't get misled by the use of the word quality ... all protein is good ... we are just looking to meet optimal human requirements and that is where the misnomer 'quality' is being applied).To get the correct mix for optimal diet needs... it would be critical to add at some point in the day, (this works) 100g of frozen spinach and a cob of corn or its equivalent in kernels to get the additional lysine and tryptophan per serving of hemp - it would be a reasonable vegetable source if you go the vegetarian route. Alternately, adding a reasonable amount of yogurt for its protein content works fine, and if you eat fish, cod is one of the best complements to hemp as it has a lysine score of about 180 vs. hemp's 55."Eat a well balanced diet". Yogurt or whey protein in your diet will take care of that - combining it with hemp protein content 1:1; soy somewhat if you are vegan - but be careful of not overdoing it for your thyroid hormone with soy since that is controversial and certainly for people who have low thyroid hormone levels... find soy extracted with alcohol if this is the case since the hormones in soy (which many tout as 'good') are diminished during the alcohol extraction.Soy is great in moderation and offers better "quality" than hemp if you look at it alone, but properly part of a balanced diet, neither is better than the other.Believe it or not, eating too much protein can be a problem, too if you get supplemented out. This applies especially if the amino acid profile is not a good match for optimal nutrition conveniently found in meat, dairy and soy proteins (which are close to optimal individually eaten). Excess amino acids in a diet are disposed of by putting the liver to work. In extreme cases (somewhere over 1.2 grams protein per pound of body weight depending on the strength of your liver), you will get a yellower urine even when you drink lots. That is basically the nitrogen byproduct after the body burns and stores the protein it cannot use. So, if you eat an average protein quality of 55 and get your daily grams, you will actually only get let's estimate something of the order of 55% of that protein incorporated into you (ok, there is a bit more to it depending on the non-essentials, but this is the general idea) and the rest will be dumped into your liver, excreted nitrogen and the rest converted into energy or stored as glycogen or fat - there is no memory or "protein reserve" in the body. The excretion part will be in the form of urea. Too much urea in the urine puts you at risk for gout a disease you don't want to know about. All these consideration are for extreme cases. In healthy cases where hemp is part of a balanced diet it is a non-issue.So, best to eat a serving of spinach and cob of corn with a 30 gram serving of this hemp, beans and Swiss chard would be helpful, but really a well balanced diet including dairy is the healthy low risk situation keeping a general eye on fats but no dwelling on it to the point of worrying about gaining an ounce of weight every now and then ... that's why we need to exercise. Alternately you can spend a mint on amino acid supplement pills to raise the hemp to a "higher" quality protein than soy or whey for that matter ...People who are immobile have other issues and the bioavailability, supplementation and protein quality can become major issues for them. Like to preventing skin breakdown and bed sores to start with. Depends on your situation.

Great product! Clean, easy to digest, whole food source. Cold pressed, no hexane. Lots of fiber, iron and magnesium too!Not the 'tastiest' if you're used to artificial flavor protein products, but this blends perfectly with banana and other natural foods, and I even like it on hot oatmeal with blueberries. I use it daily with no digestive issues and I feel great.The 15g protein (not 'hi fiber') variety has recently been re-labeled as 'Peak Protein' and the serving sizes have been changed from 3tbs to 4tbs for 15g protein. To clear up any confusion, here's info from the Nutiva website:"Take a peek! Peak Protein is the new name of our Organic Hemp Protein Powder previously called 15G. It’s still the same exact protein-rich product you love to include in your daily smoothies and shakes. We just gave it a fresh name to better reflect that it contains the highest concentration of plant-based protein of any of our products!We’ve also updated the nutrition panel to give you the latest, most current data we have on our Hemp Protein Powder. Since it is a natural and organic product, its nutritional composition and density can vary depending on soil, time of year, climate, and other factors. Because of this we periodically review the product and its serving size to ensure that the information listed on the nutrition panel is up-to-date. That’s why you’ll find that the serving size was adjusted from 3 to 4 Tbsp to better reflect the 30g that it has always been.Every 30g serving of Peak Protein Hemp Protein Powder still contains 15g of protein, 6g of fiber, and 2g of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. We’ve also opted to voluntarily list some additional minerals including zinc and magnesium to provide you with a more complete nutritional picture. The amino acid profile for this product can now be found here on the product page.Although we’ve made some updates to the label, you can trust that the product behind the label is the same reliable source of plant-based protein. Just as before, it’s made from USDA certified organic raw hempseed that is gently cold-processed, without the use of hexane or any other chemicals."So at 4tbs/serving, that's 45 servings in a 3lb bag, at $34.74 on Amazon that's $.77/serving. Not bad for something this good.Awesome product! For anyone out there on the fence about going vegan, leave behind the 'alternative facts' the meat and dairy industries put out and come to the light! You'll never look back!

I find this to be a nutrient-dense addition to my diet which is why I use it daily. It can even be a strong component in a low carb or ketogenic diet, as these ways of eating are becoming more popular, for the following reasons:While plant sources of omega-3s aren't efficiently converted into the forms the human body needs, taking them in at all can be better than not getting any, and most people need a higher omega-3 consumption to offset the high omega-6 content in the typical diet (You need both, but they need to be balanced as closely as possible in order to properly regulate your body's inflammation cycles). That makes this a source of healthy fats, which should comprise the majority of your caloric intake on a low carb diet and especially on a ketogenic diet.Both low carb and high fiber at the same time. When you are counting your carbs, every gram counts. Because the carb content in this is almost entirely fiber, it feeds the bacteria in your gut and doesn't effect your blood sugar and insulin too strongly in the process, especially because it's from a whole food source which includes naturally occurring fat.It is also a good source of protein when looking at plants. You don't need to eat a high volume of protein to be healthy, but consuming an adequate amount is important for the following reasons: protein is the most satisfying of the macronutrients which means you feel the fullest when you consume enough of it and you need enough protein each day to maintain your lean body mass. Especially if you are going low carb or ketogenic, more the latter of which designated as muscle-sparing, you want to insure that you are getting adequate protein to sustain the muscle you already possess, rather than having to resort to cannibalizing some of it to maintain your energy needs.A single serving of this stuff contains a decent amount of electrolytes, which are specific minerals that are required for energy and electrical processes throughout your body in order to remain alive. The standard diet, due to processing and other factors, tends to result in deficiencies of nutrients and minerals. But you're consuming enough carbs that your body maintains a lot of water weight, which contains these electrolytes.You can go longer without suffering the effects of those deficiencies because you get a bit of a buffer from all the water you're holding on to, which attaches to carbohydrates. But if you go into low carb or even ketogenic levels of intake, then your body is going to start flushing water every day. Supplementing and eating nutrient dense foods help you get through this, especially during the adaptation period, which frequently leads to the "keto flu." So you need to take in a lot of water, as well as electrolytes. You get more than half the recommended magnesium needs from a serving of this, as well as a decent amount of potassium, roughly equivalent to what you'd get from 1-2 cups of greens.Unless I find a better option, I'm likely to continue using this stuff long-term.

No 5 star because it doesn't mix well..even with a blender, too much of it settles to the bottom.