Protein, protein, protein! It’s the first thing you hear when you start a plant-based lifestyle. Suddenly, all you hear is “but where do you get your proteins?” And while we might not need as much protein as we been taught (see post protein brainwash), protein still provides the building blocks for our cells. Also, when our protein intake remains very low, there are more chances to fill the gap with carbs, which can have a big impact on our blood sugar. Frequent and repeated insulin peaks in our blood sugar not only makes us prone to diabetes, it also promotes heart diseases by converting some fats in cardiovascular damaging substances.
The interesting link between protein and heart diseases protection is that it’s only true for plant-based protein sources. In fact, it’s now well known that meat; even if it’s high in protein, do exactly the opposite. So what’s the best vegan protein source? It’s hemp, of course!
Hemp protein health benefits
Hemp protein supplies enough of each of the 9 essential amino acids our body requires. Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and chlorophyll, hemp is a great detox food to add to your liver cleansing diet. It’s also completely gluten-free and dairy free, which makes it a great choice for people with food intolerances.
What makes hemp superior to other plant-based protein sources?
On top of being a complete and balanced source of protein, hemp is made of two third of edestin, a substance that only hemp contains. Edestin is a protein that is very similar to the ones found in the human body, which makes is very easy to digest and assimilate. It’s also a wonderful compound to repair DNA.
Hemp and healthy fats
Another thing that makes hemp a superior protein source is its unique fat composition. Hemp has the optimum three-to-one ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 established by the World Health Organization. But hemp contains also one of the rare healthy fat sources known as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This unique kind of fat is known to help fighting against many chronic diseases.
Hemp comes in various forms. From the hulled seed to oil and concentrated protein powder, there’s many ways to include it to our diet. You can sprinkle some hemp seeds on virtually anything, from cereals to salads and soups. You can use hemp oil in your salad dressings and add hemp protein to healthy shakes and smoothies.
Do you like hemp seeds and proteins? Do you eat some often? What’s your favorite way to add some to your diet?