One food that I am a huge fan of for optimal health is hemp. It seems like we are just now, in these past few years, starting to learn about and use the magnificent nutritional value of this super food.

It is an excellent source of Omega-3, high in complete protein, great source of fiber and so many other beneficial nutrients.

I have been eating hemp seeds or using hemp powders for well over a year now, and while hemp seeds are an excellent addition to salads, they are not always my first choice for shakes/smoothies, as they can alter the desired taste. This is where my journey lead me to find Manitoba Harvest’s Hemp Protein Powder.

While the nutritional values of that product were excellent, the taste and texture was just not something I enjoyed – you can read the full review of the Hemp Protein Powder here.

This is when a rep from Manitoba Harvest was kind enough to let me know that there is another solution to enjoying Hemp Protein Powders in shakes and smoothies. This was the new product called Hemp Pro 70. Not only is this product even higher in protein per serving, but another one of its feature qualities is that it is water soluble.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils is a Canadian, farmer owned company that was established in 1998. I am quite pleased with the company itself as they operate an organic and kosher certified facility, as well as adhere to good manufacturing practices.

When it comes to this product, it is like a night and day difference in terms of taste and texture, compared to the original Hemp Protein Powder.

Here are some of the key differences between the Hemp Pro 70 vs the Hemp Protein Powder:

  • 21g of protein vs 15g
  • 4.5g of fat vs 6g
  • 140 calories vs 134 calories
  • 25% iron vs 4% iron
  • 0g fiber vs 4g fiber
  • water soluble vs non-water soluble
  • barely noticeable taste vs very noticeable taste
  • smooth, powdery, creamy texture vs gritty, powdery, coarser texture
  • less omega-3 vs more omega 3

So depending on your personal needs and preferences, you have these two, as well as other similar hemp protein powders from the Manitoba Harvest to choose from.

For me, I definitely prefer and greatly enjoyed the Hemp Pro 70 compared to the Hemp Protein Powder, as I am not concerned with fiber*, as my diet is full of it, I don’t mind the extra protein and I just love the whopping iron amount!

* Hemp naturally is abundant in fiber, but due to the fine processing of this seed, it is not a source of fiber.

It is recommended that a serving 4 tablespoons or 30g, is mixed in 12oz or 360ml of water, juice or other beverage. I never tried this product with just water, as I always blend powders like this into a green smoothie or other versions of fruit/vegetable smoothies. The most important thing for me in this case is to keep as much as possible of the original produce taste, and not have to deal with a gritty powder in every sip. From this perspective, the Hemp Pro 70 definitely did the job well.

I tried anywhere from 2 heaping to 4 heaping tablespoonfuls for a 1 liter smoothie amount, which I mix using a blender. I was still pleased with how the product performed. Would I add 4 tablespoons into a 360ml cup of water? Probably not. My needs are not to maximize my protein intake, but about balanced core nutrition.

So while I recommend a product like this for various nutritional benefits, I especially recommend it to people who rely on artificial protein powders, as the quality and nutritional value of this product surpasses anything that is found in commercial protein powders, many of which are packed with artificial colors, flavors, sugars and other chemical additives.

The only way that I can think of having this product get any better would be if it was certified organic. Even though Manitoba Harvest does not apply any pesticides to their crops and runs a certified organic facility, there is no certification on this product, I think due to the fertilizers used in their farming.

For more attributes of this product, please see the list of “the good” attributes below.

So in conclusion, I would definitely purchase this product again, as it was truly a pleasure to use, taste and gain nutritional benefits from.

Ingredients

  • Hemp protein concentrate (70% protein by weight)
  • Natural plant extracts
    (Natural plant extracts consists of a patented product called Origanox. Origanox is a natural, completely water soluble, powerful antioxidant, extracted from edible herb species, belonging to the Labitae family (such as Origanum vulgare and Salvia officinalis).)

Nutritional Information

(per 4 Tbsp/30g serving)

  • 140 Calories
  • 4.5 g Fat
  • 0.5g Saturated Fat
  • 3.4g Polyunsaturated Fat (2.6g omega-6, 0.8g omega-3)
  • 0.6g Monounsaturated
  • 21 g Protein
  • 4.5 g Carbohydrate
  • 2 g Sugar
  • 0 g Fiber
  • 30 mg Sodium
  • 0 mg Cholesterol

Vitamins & Minerals

  • 0% Vitamin A
  • 0% Vitamin C
  • 4 % Calcium
  • 25 % Iron

Amino Acid Profile (per 30g)

  • Alanine 884mg
  • Arginine 2783mg
  • Aspartic Acid 2291mg
  • Cystine 292mg
  • Glutamic Acid 3820mg
  • Glycine 897mg
  • Histidine 609mg
  • Isoleucine 895mg
  • Leucine 1397mg
  • Lysine 804mg
  • Methionine 431mg
  • Phenylalanine 932mg
  • Proline 890mg
  • Serine 1027mg
  • Threonine 756mg
  • Tryptophan 592mg
  • Tyrosine 592mg
  • Valine 1105mg

Packaging

The powder comes in smaller 454g/16oz or bulk 5lb containers. The containers are dark to shield the product from light damage and are #2 recyclable plastic jars, with screw on caps.

Price (as of this posting)

  • Around $30.00 CDN/US for the 454g/16oz size in local health food stores
  • $29.99 CDN/US for the 454g/16oz size from (free shipping in Canada)
  • $29.99 CDN/US for the 454g/16oz size from Manitoba Harvest
  • $90.00 CDN/US for the 5lb size from Manitoba Harvest
  • $24.99US for the 454g/16oz size from Amazon.com

Availability

The Good

  • Excellent complete protein source
  • Excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids
  • Excellent source of iron
  • Water soluble – mixes well in shakes
  • Does not ruin taste of fruit smoothie
  • No artificial additives
  • No preservatives
  • Pesticide Free
  • Gluten free
  • Hexane free
  • Vegan
  • Made with 100% wind power
  • Non GMO
  • Product of Canada
  • Fair Price

The Bad

  • Not certified organic