Hemp plants contain essential amino acids which are necessary for building muscles, regulating brain activity and supporting cardiovascular health. Furthermore, they offer an abundance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for proper nourishment of our bodies.
Hemp meat contains 54 percent plant-based protein and can be considered comparable gram for gram to chicken meat. Available as dry shelf stable forms that can be made into burgers and crumbles or used in recipes for breakfast sausage, it makes an excellent food alternative.
High in Protein
As more people turn away from meat, companies are developing plant-based protein alternatives. Unfortunately, vegans sometimes struggle to receive all the nutrition they require from this diet and some even opt out entirely due to this nutritional shortfall.
Hemp seeds contain all essential amino acids for human health, making them a “complete” protein source. Furthermore, hemp seeds also boast omega fatty acids, fiber, minerals and antioxidants which contribute to overall wellness.
Scientists recently conducted a new study where they combined hempseed press cake (HPC) with solid byproducts from oat processing to create an extruded meat analogue protein from HPC and solid byproducts of oat processing. Results indicated that HPC could replace soy protein by up to 60% for creating layers and fibrous meat analogues, similar to soy proteins. RVA and DSC analysis demonstrated that using HPC required higher temperature for maximum viscosity due to undenatured proteins as well as more free sulfhydryl groups present.
Low in Carbohydrates
Hemp seeds (including hemp hearts and powder) make an excellent addition to a plant-based diet, with their low carbohydrates count providing great value and providing important health benefits like reduced triglycerides (fats circulating in the blood stream) reduction and improvement of cardiovascular health.
Hemex seed protein boasts an exceptionally high edestin protein fraction with an amino acid profile rich in branched-chain amino acids such as methionine, cysteine and aromatic amino acids. Hemp heart also boasts high concentrations of omega fatty acids like gamma-linolenic acid which help balance out imbalanced ratios between omega 6 fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids typically found in Western diets.
Planet Based Foods, the company behind Hempx, has been using plant-based protein such as Hempx to craft delicious meat alternatives such as burgers and tacos made with Hempx. Their goal is to offer consumers a versatile protein they can consume all the ways they enjoy eating meat.
High in Fiber
Hemp seeds contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, making them easier to digest than other protein sources. Furthermore, hemp seeds offer essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which help combat inflammation; an issue which is responsible for up to 25 million Americans suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Hemp seed is an excellent source of phytochemicals such as carotenoids, antioxidants and plant-based omega-3 fatty acids that can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure while strengthening immunity systems. These phytochemicals also serve as natural preventives against disease such as cardiovascular issues.
Hemp has an unique combination of amino acids that contributes to its meat-like texture and flavor. Hemp contains abundant cysteine, which creates a tougher texture than pea proteins. According to Nasrollahzadeh et al., adding cysteine increases crosslinking and anisotropy for high moisture meat analogues composed of soy and pea proteins.
Low in Fat
Hemp seeds offer a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as the amino acid arginine which, when converted to nitric oxide, helps improve circulation and lower blood pressure, potentially decreasing risk factors associated with heart disease.
GLA (gamma linolenic acid) found in this plant is well known to reduce inflammation in the liver and is believed to lower risk factors associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A typical American diet may contain 14-25 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids which could contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress processes that lead to NAFLD.
One study, using both a rapid visco analyzer and differential scanning calorimeter, demonstrated that adding hemp seed meal reduced fat oxidation in refrigerated meatballs (Kotecka-Majchrzak et al. 2020). Other research revealed that hemp seed meal could enhance meat products’ textural characteristics as well as flavor desirability (Augustynska-Prejsnar et al. 2022).