Nutiva Hemp Protein

I see hemp show up a lot as I explore options for natural protein. I've tried hemp milk before and found it very tasty, but I hadn't tried hemp powder or hemp seed. When Nutiva sent me a nice sample package, I was excited to try something completely new.

Here's what I was surprised to find out that I loved: Organic Shelled Hempseed. It's got this great nutty, almost buttery flavor. I added it to my oatmeal pancakes for a little boost of protein and the result was delicious.

According to TreeHugger.com, hemp is a fantastic source of Omega-6 fatty acids which have been found to help fight against Alzheimer's, heart disease and arthritis. So anyone looking for a natural anti-inflammatory would benefit from hemp.

My sample package also included some Hemp Shakes. I didn't so much love the chocolate flavor, as I found it a little chalky, but the Mister liked it very much. I did, however, like the berry pomegranate, which was slightly sweeter and definitely tasted of berries. Acai was also nice. All flavors were nice and thick when combined with almond milk. It felt like a substantial drink.

Nutritional Facts for Berry Pomagranate:

Serving Size: 1 packet (30 g) Servings Per Container: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories 90 Total Fat 1.5 g Saturated Fat 0 g Trans Fat 0 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g Monounsaturated Fat <1 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 5 mg Total Carbohydrate 20 g Dietary Fiber 8 g Soluble Fiber 2 g Insoluble Fiber 6 g Sugars 11 g Protein 6 g Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 2% Calcium 2% Iron 12% Thiamin 15% Phosphorous 8% Magnesium 15% Zinc 8% Ingredients: Organic hemp protein, superberry blend (organic mesquite pods, organic strawberries, organic blueberries, organic raspberries, organic cherries, organic pomegranates, organic Sambazon® acai, organic goji berries, organic guar gum, inulin from chicory root), organic Fair Trade Certified evaporated cane juice, organic berry flavor.

I found this information from the Nutiva website very interesting:

Q. What are the benefits of hemp vs. flax?
A. Shelled hempseed is more easily digested than ground flax seed, while whole flax seed passes through your body undigested. Hemp seed and hemp oil also contain higher-potency omega derivatives, GLA and SDA, which flax seed lacks.

The Nutiva website offers recipes, ordering, a store locator and tons of information on hemp and their other products.