Hemp seeds and hemp hearts vs hemp protein powder

Hemp hearts and hemp protein powder come from the same seed but do different jobs. Three tablespoons of hemp hearts (30g) give you about 9.5g of protein inside 166 calories, most of it from healthy fat, including 2.6g of omega-3. A 35g scoop of unflavored Cantein gives you 28g of protein in 110 calories, with almost no fat. Use hearts when you want the fats and a whole food. Use powder when you want protein without the calories.

Seeds, hearts, powder, oil: what's what

  • Whole hemp seeds still have the crunchy outer shell. The shell is mostly insoluble fiber. In one analysis of whole seed, fiber was about 28% of the weight, alongside 36% oil and 25% protein (Callaway, 2004).
  • Hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds) are the soft inside of the seed with the shell removed. Taking off the shell removes most of the fiber, so hearts are mostly fat and protein.
  • Hemp protein powder is made by pressing the oil out of the seed and milling what's left. Removing the oil is what concentrates the protein. Cantein is cold-pressed mechanically, with no hexane or other solvents.
  • Hemp seed oil is the pressed-out oil. It has the omega-3 and omega-6 and essentially no protein.

Side by side

Per serving Hemp hearts, 3 tbsp (30g) Cantein Unflavored (35g) Cantein Vanilla or Chocolate (35g)
Calories 166 110 120
Protein 9.5g 28g 22g
Fat 14.6g 0g 4g (from MCT, not hemp oil)
Omega-3 (ALA) 2.6g Negligible Negligible
Fiber 1.2g 2g 2g
Magnesium 210mg 417mg 303mg
Zinc 3mg 13mg 10mg
Iron 2.4mg 8mg 6mg
Protein per 100 calories 5.7g 25.5g 18.3g

Hemp hearts figures are from USDA FoodData Central (hemp seed, hulled). Cantein figures are from our labels.

Protein: the calorie gap is the whole story

Getting the 28g of protein in one unflavored scoop from hemp hearts would take about 89g, or roughly 9 tablespoons. That's around 490 calories and 43g of fat. Fine if you're trying to gain weight or you love hemp hearts. Less fine if you're trying to hit a protein target without eating much more.

That's the main reason protein powder exists: pressing out the oil turns a high-fat seed into a high-protein food. If you're working toward a daily number, see how to eat 100g of protein without whey.

Protein quality: similar, with one quirk

Both contain all nine essential amino acids, and in both, lysine is the amino acid in shortest supply. In the 2010 protein-quality study of commercial hemp products, dehulled seed actually scored a little higher on PDCAAS (63–66%) than hemp seed meal (46–51%), though both were very digestible (House et al., 2010). Those scores came from rat assays, so treat them as rough. More on how hemp's amino acids stack up: hemp protein amino acids.

In practice, the bigger difference is quantity. A scoop of powder gives you about three times the protein of a serving of hearts, so you get more of every amino acid, including leucine (1.80g in unflavored Cantein vs about 0.65g in 30g of hearts).

Omega-3: the hearts win, clearly

Hemp hearts are one of the better plant sources of ALA, the omega-3 fat your body can't make. Thirty grams has about 2.6g, more than the daily adequate intake of 1.6g for men and 1.1g for women set by the National Academies. Hemp oil's ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is about 2.5 to 1, far lower than soybean oil at about 7 to 1 (Callaway, 2004).

Protein powder gives most of that up. When the oil is pressed out, the omega-3 goes with it. Unflavored Cantein has 0g of fat per scoop. The 4g of fat in vanilla and chocolate comes from organic MCT powder made from coconut, not from hemp oil. If omega-3 is why you eat hemp, eat the hearts.

Fiber and minerals

Hearts are surprisingly low in fiber (1.2g per 30g) because the fiber-rich shell is gone. Cantein has 2g per scoop. Whole, unhulled seeds have far more, but they're gritty and most people don't eat them by the spoonful.

Minerals concentrate along with the protein when the oil comes out, so a scoop of powder has more magnesium, zinc, and iron than a serving of hearts. Gram for gram, both are rich sources.

THC

Neither is a meaningful source of THC. In 2018 the FDA reviewed hulled hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil and had no questions about their safety as foods. It noted that hemp seeds don't naturally contain THC and that any trace comes from contact with other parts of the plant during harvest. When Eurofins tested the hemp protein in Cantein, no THC or CBD was detected. Details, including what research shows about drug tests: does Cantein contain THC?

Which to use

  • Hemp hearts if you want healthy fats and omega-3, a whole food, and texture: sprinkled on yogurt, oats, salads, or avocado toast.
  • Hemp protein powder if you want a lot of protein for few calories: shakes, smoothies, or stirred into oats or soup.
  • Both works well. A scoop of powder plus a tablespoon of hearts in a smoothie gets you the protein and some of the omega-3.

Hemp hearts are high in polyunsaturated fat, which can go rancid. Most brands recommend keeping an opened bag in the fridge.

FAQ

How much protein is in hemp seeds? Hulled hemp seeds have about 31.6g of protein per 100g, or about 9.5g in three tablespoons (USDA).

Are hemp hearts a complete protein? Yes, in the sense that they contain all nine essential amino acids. Lysine is the lowest relative to need, the same as in hemp protein powder.

Can I make hemp protein powder by grinding hemp hearts? Not really. Ground hearts are still almost half fat, so you get something closer to a seed butter or meal. The protein concentration comes from pressing the oil out first.

Do hemp hearts or hemp protein have more calories? Hearts, by a lot: 553 calories per 100g, against about 314 per 100g for unflavored Cantein.

Sources

What is hemp protein? · Amino acids · Ingredients · All Learn pages