What Is Hemp Milk: Nutrition, Benefits and How to Make It

Hemp milk is a plant-based, vegan-friendly alternative to cow’s milk that’s gaining popularity in the United States and across the world. This non-dairy milk is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, essential amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids and contains no sugar or cholesterol.

Hemp milk may be used in place of cow’s milk in lattes, ice cream, and other desserts. You can also drink it on its own or add it to your coffee. Hemp milk is THC-free, so you won’t get high from drinking it.

Learn about hemp milk and the health advantages it may provide as you read on.

What Is Hemp Milk Made from?

Hemp milk is a nutritious drink made from hemp seeds (you may also use them to make protein powder, milk, oil, and other meals). Hemp milk has a creamy texture rather than an oily one like that of other plant-based milk alternatives after processing.

Hemp milk does not contain THC, so it provides no euphoria. As a result, most hemp milk producers claim that their product is legal in all 50 states. Furthermore, the legalization of industrial hemp in the United States has proved these claims to be true.

Hemp milk is becoming more popular, and well-known firms like Tempt and Pacific will be at the forefront of this fast-growing multi-million-dollar market.

Hemp Milk Nutrition & Taste

Hemp milk is high in several required amino acids and has a long list of benefits. It also contains traces of a few additional minerals. Phytates, which are enzyme blockers found in certain plant-based foods that might restrict the absorption of important minerals, are not present in hemp milks from reputable producers.

Hemp milk has a unique flavor profile and is thicker than soy or rice milk.

Hemp protein digestion is also easier than soy since it lacks complex carbohydrates (oligosaccharides). When these sugars aren’t broken down correctly, they produce gas!

Hemp seeds have a creamier, nuttier flavor than sunflower seeds. The seeds are crushed to make hemp milk. When the seeds have been consumed, the remaining solid material is blended with water and filtered. Hemp milk has a distinct flavor and is thicker than other milks.

A quick description of the nutritional value of unsweetened hemp milk (based on one U.S. cup, about 236 ml):

• 70 calories
• 5g of fat
• 5g of saturated fat
• 2g carbohydrates
• 3g protein

Hemp milk is now available in a range of flavors, including vanilla and chocolate, as well as ‘long life’ and ‘fresh,’ making it more convenient. You may also pick between ‘long life’ milk kept in the fridge or ‘fresh’ hemp milk that has been refrigerated and hasn’t yet thawed. Hemp milk is cholesterol-free, gluten-free, soy-free, lactose-free and low in sugar; it’s ideal for individuals who are allergic to dairy products but miss the flavor of cow’s milk.

Best Hemp Milk Recipe

Hemp milk is straightforward to make and has a high protein content. Hemp milk, in addition to having advantages over cow’s milk, contains omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for the development of healthy cell membranes.

You will need the following ingredients:

• A cup of shelled hemp seeds.
• Five cups of purified water.
• A natural sweetener such as raw honey or stevia.

In the end, this meal may make 6 cups and will keep for at least three days in the refrigerator. We recommend storing it in a sealed glass mason jar and shaking it before each use.

Without further ado, here is how to make hemp seed milk:

1. Put the water and hemp seeds into a blender.
2. Reduce the amount of water used if you want thicker milk. Use extra water to create a dairy skim milk-like taste if that’s what you’re after.
3. Turn the blender on full power for a maximum of three minutes.
4. If you wish, sweeten the milk by adding honey or stevia after blending.
5. Blend again if you add sweetener.
6. Drain it through a cheesecloth to remove large seed particles.
7. Enjoy your milk in good health!

The beans should be placed in the freezer for about six weeks. The key is to keep them in a cold and dark place. The seed shell, on the other hand, might help you get rid of any extra coffee beans. You may use the residual seed pulp as a facial mask or a body scrub; some people even add it to their compost heaps.

Hemp Milk Dangers

Hemp milk’s advantages and disadvantages may be discussed for those who are concerned about potential risks. Hemp milk is safe to consume as long as it has no potentially hazardous chemicals and is produced by a reputable business.

Hemp milk, on the other hand, is a fantastic dairy substitute. Although hemp milk is a wonderful dairy alternative, an increasing number of non-dairy milk substitutes now include processed chemicals that may be harmful to one’s health as the market expands. As a result, we recommend avoiding hemp milk with any of the following:

Carrageenan: It’s high in fiber. This supplement is made of seaweed. It’s so harmful to your digestive system that it’s used in lab animals to induce colitis! Carrageenan has been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a potential human cancer-causing agent.

Natural Flavors: Hemp milk should be avoided if it is high in carbohydrates, especially when compared to dairy or other plant-based alternatives. Manufacturers who use the word “natural flavors” in their ingredients list may be evading their legal responsibility to disclose additives like aspartame, saccharin, and MSG.

Vegetable Oils: Hemp milk containing canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, or safflower oil is not a good idea. Corn extraction is a time-consuming process. It generally necessitates the use of high heat and pressure as well as hazardous solvents and other potentially hazardous components. It’s a concoction that causes major damage to fatty acid molecules. Soy and corn oils are frequently produced from GMO crops.

Hemp Milk vs. Almond Milk

Organic hemp milk is a relatively new concept (at least among the general public). Almond milk, on the other hand, has a long history as the health-conscious person’s traditional favorite milk alternative. We’ll look at some of hemp milk’s advantages before getting into what almond milk has to offer. Let’s start with what almond milk offers first.

Making hemp milk at home is a little more difficult, but almond milk should not be difficult to produce. Soak almonds in water for a few hours. Drain and combine the almonds with additional water until they have a milky consistency. Remove the almond “milk” from the blender and set aside the leftover pieces. Almond milk is high in vitamins, minerals, and overall health benefits.

What Does Almond Milk Contain?

• Magnesium: A mineral that breaks food down into energy and helps maintain healthy bones.
• Vitamin E: A crucial antioxidant that stops free radicals from damaging cells.
• Unsaturated Fat: Reduces the risk of heart disease.
• Potassium: Keeps blood pressure under control.
• Manganese: Helps maintain healthy teeth and bones.
• Selenium: Prevents tissue and cell damage by boosting the immune system.
• Flavonoids: Essential for a healthy heart.
• Minimal calories or fat: Almond milk is an excellent low-calorie alternative to regular milk.
• No additives: Unfortunately, cows are sometimes injected with growth hormones and antibiotics to ensure they produce more milk. There are no such issues when you use almond milk.

Almond Milk Disadvantages

Hemp milk is less likely to induce adverse effects than almond milk, but we can’t make the same statement about almonds. Almond milk is beneficial to one’s health, but it has the following disadvantages:

• It is not suitable for people with nut allergies.
• Almond milk is higher in sugar than cow’s milk when produced commercially.
• It doesn’t have the right nutritional profile for babies. As a result, it isn’t suitable as a substitute for breast milk or formula.
• This food is known to be a goitrogenic food. This implies it includes compounds that can sick your thyroid in excessive amounts.

Hemp and cow’s milk are essentially the same in terms of taste, nutritional value, and digestibility. Hemp milk is not a suitable alternative for cow’s milk for children or adults. It isn’t safe to give hemp milk to newborns or toddlers because it doesn’t contain any sugar and has fewer calories than almond milk. People who are allergic to peanuts can consume hemp milk since it does not include any sugar and has fewer calories than almond milk.

Is Hemp Milk Good for Your Health?

Hemp seed milk is beneficial for the vast majority of individuals. Hemp milk has a low calorie count, making it an excellent addition to a healthy diet. It’s especially useful if you’re looking to reduce weight.

When preparing your own hemp milk, you must consider two elements: water and hemp seeds. Water and shelled hemp seeds are necessary (though you may also add sweetener if desired).

Hemp milk provides several benefits, including the following:

• Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Both are necessary for normal brain function. Hemp milk has the ideal 3:1 ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 acids, which is uncommon in commercially available foods.
• Vitamins: Hemp milk is high in vitamin A, which is important for growth and immune function. It also contains 25% of your daily vitamin D and B12 needs, as well as at least 6% of your vitamin E requirement.
• Minerals: Hemp milk contains a lot of calcium, which is generally added during the manufacturing process. It also includes a lot of magnesium and iron.
• Amino Acids: Hemp milk contains essential amino acids.

Benefits of Hemp Milk

You can enjoy the following benefits as a result of all this natural goodness:

• Better skin, hair, and nails
• An improved immune system
• A source of vitamins and minerals that is low in calories while being free from fat and cholesterol
• Sharper mental skills
• Reduced risk of heart disease

Hemp milk side effects are varied depending on the manufacturer. There may be some hemp milk side effects, although:

• Stomach ache from the tannins and saponins in hemp.
• Nutritional deficiencies (if consumed by babies).
• Allergic reactions, such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, hives, eye irritation, and anaphylaxis are the most frequent adverse effects. These events are unusual but do happen.
• Hypokalemia is a condition in which the level of potassium in your blood is low. It’s also known as ‘hypokalemia.’
• It’s plausible that store-bought hemp seed milk contains gelling agents, which might induce stomach issues. Carrageenan (Tempt and Pacific no longer use it), guar gum, and xanthan gum are all harmful gelling ingredients.

Hemp Milk Side Effects

Hemp milk is relatively well tolerated. Some people, however, can experience the following hemp milk adverse effects in rare instances:

Allergic Reaction

Look for any allergic symptoms associated with hemp milk or any of its components and additives. These can range from mild rashes and hives to anaphylactic shock.

Stomach Aches

Hemp milk is a dairy beverage that’s derived from hemp plant seeds and includes tannins, water-soluble polyphenols, and other naturally occurring chemicals known as saponins. These components might cause stomach discomfort in some people.

Some companies add the food additive carrageenan to their hemp milk, which has been linked to negative health effects. Thickeners such as guar gum or xanthan gum are also sometimes used by manufacturers. These thickening agents can induce stomach aches, bloating, and inflammation in the digestive tract. As a result, before purchasing hemp milk, you should look for any of these potentially harmful additives to guarantee that you aren’t ingesting them.

Low Potassium Levels

Hemp milk from companies in the United States, for example, includes cyanocobalamin, a manufactured form of vitamin B12. In uncommon cases, supplementation with cyanocobalamin may induce hypokalemia, or low potassium levels in the blood.

Diabetes

Hemp milk, like all forms of milk, has a high fat content. It’s worth noting that some hemp milk products have extra sugars in them, which may cause diabetes over time. Look at the label before selecting hemp milk.

Pros and Cons of Hemp Milk

• Low in saturated fats
• High in polyunsaturated fats
• Filled with Omega-3 fatty acids
• Good for the environment
• Delightful ‘nutty’ flavor

Cons

• Relatively low in protein
• There are many sweetened versions on the market
• It is not a good option if you have a nut allergy

Is Hemp Milk environmentally friendly?

Hemp is also recognized for its environmental sustainability when it comes to enhancing soil health. One of the several environmental benefits of industrial hemp production is that each tonne of hemp planted releases 1.63 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the environment. Hemp is also a low-fertilizer, zero-pesticide/herbicide crop. Hemp cultivation has a low carbon cost and requires little management. Hemp farming is possible on farmland that has previously been used for agriculture (in contrast to most crops). Hemp, in combination with other plants, has also been discovered to improve adjacent crop yields via crop rotation as part of a broader study.

Hemp requires more water than oats, soybeans, and peas. Hemp was also one of the European Environmental Agency’s top five most water-consuming crops in a research published this year.

Hemp farming, unlike almond milk and cow’s milk, consumes significantly less water. As a result, hemp milk is still a much better alternative than dairy in terms of sustainability.

Which hemp milks are the best?

Hemp milk is gluten-free, cholesterol-free, and low in sugar. Hemp is an excellent substitute for individuals on a diet that restricts carbohydrates or those who are diabetic since it contains 50% of the omega-3 needs per 250ml glass. It also has vitamin A, D, and calcium addition to ensure quality (vitamin A), as well as other nutrients

Anise hyssop has a faint, earthy flavor and goes well with a cup of tea. It may be utilized to make pastries, cereals, or consumed as is.

Feel Good Hemp offers hemp milk in both regular and decaf varieties. It’s available frothed or as a latte. The barista seed milk is thicker in texture, resulting in more luxurious coffees and cappuccinos.

The barista milk has a few more calories and sugar than the creamer, but it has the same omega-3 and omega-6 contents. Other than that, making a cup of coffee with hemp is an excellent method to make it more nutritious, thanks to hemp’s healthy oils.

Ecomil Unsweetened Hemp Drink

Ecomil is a firm that produces unsweetened hemp milk in a variety of tastes. If you’re diabetic or prefer sugar-free foods, Ecomil hemp milk might be the answer.

Enfamil’s 40-calorie Ecomil Unsweetened Hemp Drink is less expensive per serving than Good Hemp’s 26, but it includes more calories (80 vs. 36). Ecomil is a lesser-known alternative to Good Hemp that can be found online, especially if you want to buy in bulk and have it delivered to your home.

Sojade Natural Hemp Drink

Sojade Natural Hemp Drink is a low-calorie hemp milk substitute that includes no added sugars. This has a thicker texture than Good Hemp and delivers the same protein as other hemp milks, at 0.5g per 100ml. Sojade Natural Hemp Drink is another low-calorie hemp milk alternative with no added sugars.