How to Use Hemp Protein Powder

Co-authored by Dee Dine

Last Updated: July 14, 2022 References

Hemp protein powder is a type of dietary supplement intended to help you increase the amount of vegan protein in your diet. Many people choose hemp protein powder over whey or egg white protein powders since studies have shown that hemp can help decrease cholesterol levels, better manage high blood pressure and lower risk of coronary heart disease.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Using hemp protein powder can help you lose weight, improve athletic performance or provide additional nutrition in your diet. Regardless of why you choose to use hemp protein powder, it can be a nutritious and protein-rich supplement to your diet.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Hemp Protein Powder for Weight Loss

1
Replace one to two meals with hemp protein powder. Like other meal replacement shakes, you can use hemp protein powder to help you lose weight in a safe and healthy manner.
- You can swap in a hemp protein powder shake for one or two meals daily to help you decrease your overall calorie intake and support weight loss.^{[2]
  X
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source} Make your protein shake to taste, however be mindful of the total calories. If the calories of your protein shakes are more than the meals they replaced, you won't lose weight.
- You can mix hemp protein powder with water, milk or almond or soy milk. To add some flavor and extra nutrition, you can add fruit or even dark greens.
- Hemp protein powder provides your body with essential support for your skin, hair, bones, and major organs, including your brain.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Dee Dine
  Nutrition & Vegan Food Specialist
  Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
- Hemp protein powder is known to also be high in fiber which can help increase your satiety after meals.^{[4]
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  Research source}
2
Use hemp protein powder for a high protein snack. You may be limiting calories or carbohydrates during your weight loss journey. This may leave you feeling hungrier during the day, which might make you want to snack. It's okay to snack! When you snack, choose a calorie controlled snack like hemp protein powder.^{[5]
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Research source} You can make a snack with hemp protein powder by:
- Making a shake. Combine hemp protein powder with fruit and veggies for a nutritious shake. Be sure to keep the calories under 150 calories. This will help give your body a boost of protein and energy for your day without adding excess calories.
- Creating high-protein snack foods. You can try making "protein bites", protein muffins, protein bars, protein puddings or even protein cookies. You can find recipes online or in cookbooks that use protein powder to make healthy, high protein snacks. Hemp protein powder can be substituted for other types of protein powder in recipes.
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3
Eat a balanced diet. Regardless of whether or not you are using hemp protein powder to replace meals or to use as a supplement, high protein snack, it's still important to eat a balanced diet when you're trying to lose weight.
- A balanced diet is important in weight loss because you'll need to eat a wide variety of foods from within each food group to ensure you're meeting your daily nutrient needs.^{[6]
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  National Health Service (UK)
  Public healthcare system of the UK
  Go to source}
- If you're using hemp protein powder to make meal replacement shakes, add fruit or vegetables (like spinach, kale or avocado) to help meet your five to nine recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
- In addition, make sure that you're getting enough protein in your diet. If you are using hemp protein powder as a meal replacement, that counts as one to two servings of protein for that meal. Also, include a serving or 3 to 4 oz of lean protein at other meals as well.^{[7]
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  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source}
- Also include a source of 100% whole grains in your diet. These high fiber foods should be measured to a 1/2 cup or 1 oz serving.^{[8]
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  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source}
4
Stick to a lower calorie diet. When you're trying to lose weight, with or without hemp protein powder, you'll need to cut out some calories to help induce weight loss.
- If you cut out about 500 calories a day from your typical diet, you can expect to lose about one to two pounds of weight each week.^{[9]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}
- Generally, if you're substituting a meal or two with a hemp protein powder shake (and they are reasonable in calories) you'll be cutting out calories from your diet which should help you lose weight.^{[10]
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  Research source}
- Always count calories to keep an eye on how much you're eating throughout the day. This will also help keep you accountable.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Incorporating Hemp Protein Powder for Athletic Performance

1
Use hemp as pre-workout snack. A pre-workout snack can play an important role in your performance during your exercise routine.
- Before a workout, you can use a pre-workout snack to give your body an extra boost of energy to fuel yourself through your workout. The best type of snack is a carbohydrate rich food.
- Although hemp protein powder is a great source of natural protein, many hemp protein powders are also fairly high in carbohydrates.
- Mix your hemp protein powder with milk - another source of carbohydrates - to give your body a good energy boost for your workout.
2
Incorporate hemp protein powder into a post workout snack. Like a pre-workout snack, hemp protein powder can also be an excellent post-workout snack as well. After a workout, you'll need to replace your muscle's glycogen stores (your body's stored form of energy) and the protein broken down during your exercise as well.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- The best combination for your post-workout snacks is a combination of both protein and carbohydrates. In addition, eat this snack within two hours of finishing your workout for the best recovery and regeneration.
- Use your hemp protein powder mixed with milk (a source of carbohydrates) for a quick and easy high protein snack. You can also make a hemp protein powder smoothie and add yogurt, fruit and ice cubes for a thick and creamy high protein and high carbohydrate snack as well.
3
Drink a protein shake before bedtime. Another great time to load up on extra protein from your hemp protein powder is right as you go to bed. Studies have shown that your growth hormones are elevated when you're asleep. When you drink a high protein shake before bed this can help stimulate growth and repair of your muscles.^{[12]
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Research source}
- If drinking a large protein shake right before bed is uncomfortable, drink it about an hour before hitting the sack. This can help you digest your protein a little more thoroughly before falling asleep.
4
Aim for adequate protein to support athletic performance. In addition to appropriately timed snacks, you may need to add hemp protein powder to your diet to help meet additional protein needs as an athlete.
- Although you do not need very large quantities of protein daily, you do need to ensure you're eating enough to support whatever activity you do.
- If you're a "power athlete" (participating in sports that require speeds or strength) you may need up to 1.7 g of protein per kg of body weight.^{[13]
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  EatRight.org
  Organization associated with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing advice about food, health, and fitness
  Go to source}
- If you're an endurance athlete (a long distance runner for example), you may need up to 1.4 g of protein per kg of body weight.^{[14]
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  Trustworthy Source
  EatRight.org
  Organization associated with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing advice about food, health, and fitness
  Go to source}
- Use your hemp protein powder as snacks or in addition to meals to help ensure you're consuming enough protein every day.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Boosting Your Nutrition with Hemp Protein Powder

1
Use hemp protein powder to increase your protein intake. Many people may be interested in using hemp protein outside the athlete or weight loss arena. It's a great supplement to also improve your protein intake, because it is a complete protein.^{[15]
X
Expert Source

Dee Dine
Nutrition & Vegan Food Specialist
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
- Most people need about 0.8 to 1 g of protein per kg of body weight.^{[16]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Harvard Medical School
  Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
  Go to source} Calculate how many grams of protein you need each day with this formula.
- If you're a vegan or vegetarian or just a picky eater, using hemp protein powder can be a nutritious method to help meet your protein needs.
- If you're having trouble meeting your protein needs, use hemp protein powder in shakes, smoothies or snacks to help you get in more protein throughout the day.
- Add these types of hemp protein-based supplements to your current diet, not in place of meals. This will boost your protein intake throughout the day.
2
Make a nutrient-packed smoothie with hemp protein powder. In addition to helping you meet protein needs everyday, using hemp protein can also help you sneak in extra nutrition throughout the day. It's full of antioxidants which boost your immune system, essential minerals which support all body functions, and digestion-supporting fiber. It's also high in unsaturated fat, which are healthy for the heart.^{[17]
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Expert Source

Dee Dine
Nutrition & Vegan Food Specialist
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
- Again, using hemp protein shakes, smoothies or other snacks is an excellent way to hide or add in extra nutrition to your day.
- These ideas will be great for picky eaters, those who don't like many fruits or vegetables or those who just have difficulty staying on track with a nutritious diet.
- Ideas to add in more nutrition include: making a protein shake blended with fruit, dark greens, nuts, seeds or even avocado. You can also make smoothies and use ice for a thicker and creamier consistency.
- There are also recipes using hemp protein powder to make brownies that have avocado or even black beans incorporated.
3
Increase your calories with hemp protein powder. If you're not trying to lose weight, but actually trying to gain weight, hemp protein powder can be an easy way to get in some extra calories throughout the day.
- If you need to gain weight, you might be tempted to overindulge in unhealthy, high calorie, high fat foods (like candies, fried foods or fast foods). However, this not a nutritious or healthy way to gain weight.
- Choose nutritious, calorie dense foods in addition to eating more meals or more snacks throughout the day to help add on extra pounds.
- It's typically recommended to add 250 to 500 calories daily to help you gain weight. Adding more food and higher calorie food can help you achieve this increase in calories each day.
- In addition to your typical three meals a day, use hemp protein powder to make high calorie shakes or smoothies to drink. This is an easy way to increase calories. Plus, smoothies may not fill you up as much as more solid foods or meals.
- Mix hemp protein powder with low-fat or whole milk and add in a variety of items like: fruits, avocado, nuts, seeds, nut butters or full fat yogurts. You can even add in a little coconut oil for an extra hit of calories.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What can you do with hemp powder?

Dee Dine
Nutrition & Vegan Food Specialist
Dee Dine is a Nutrition and Vegan Food Specialist and the founder of Green Smoothie Gourmet, a blog dedicated to healthy, plant-based vegan, limited ingredient recipes. Dee holds a BS in Biology/Biochemistry with an emphasis in Immunology. Dee has written two books full of healthy plant-based recipes, including chocolate desserts, snacks, juices and, wellness shots. They are: "Crazy Healthy with 4 Ingredients: Dessert, Breakfast & Snack Vegan Recipes" and "4-Ingredient Smoothies and Juices: 100 Easy Nutritious Recipes for Lifelong Health". Dee is an editor with TheFeedFeed, a crowdsourced digital cooking publication, and has been featured on BuzzFeed, Marie Claire, the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, Well + Good, and Hello Glow.

Dee Dine

Nutrition & Vegan Food Specialist

Expert Answer

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Hemp powder is a good protein and nutritional supplement. Try adding your hemp powder to a smoothie or use it to make a shake.
Question

What are the nutritional benefits of hemp protein powder?

Dee Dine
Nutrition & Vegan Food Specialist
Dee Dine is a Nutrition and Vegan Food Specialist and the founder of Green Smoothie Gourmet, a blog dedicated to healthy, plant-based vegan, limited ingredient recipes. Dee holds a BS in Biology/Biochemistry with an emphasis in Immunology. Dee has written two books full of healthy plant-based recipes, including chocolate desserts, snacks, juices and, wellness shots. They are: "Crazy Healthy with 4 Ingredients: Dessert, Breakfast & Snack Vegan Recipes" and "4-Ingredient Smoothies and Juices: 100 Easy Nutritious Recipes for Lifelong Health". Dee is an editor with TheFeedFeed, a crowdsourced digital cooking publication, and has been featured on BuzzFeed, Marie Claire, the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, Well + Good, and Hello Glow.

Dee Dine

Nutrition & Vegan Food Specialist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Hemp protein powder is a complete protein which is full of antioxidants, essential minerals, and digestion-supporting fiber. It's also high in unsaturated fats, which are healthy for the heart, and it can help regulate the metabolism and keep blood sugar levels balanced.