Hemp milk is a plant-based, vegan-friendly substitute for cow’s milk that’s sweeping the United States and the rest of 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.

You may add hemp milk to your coffee, make delicious milkshakes with it, or drink it on its own. Furthermore, hemp milk is THC-free, so you won’t get high from drinking it.

Read on to learn more about hemp milk and the health advantages it may provide.

What Is Hemp Milk Made from?

Hemp milk is a nutritious beverage made from hemp seeds (you can use hemp seeds to produce protein powder, milk, oil, and a variety of other foods). After processing, hemp milk has a creamy texture rather than an oily one associated with other plant-based milk alternatives.

Hemp milk does not contain any THC, so it does not produce a high. As a result, most hemp milk producers claim that their product is legal in all 50 states. In addition, the legalization of industrial hemp in the United States has verified these assertions.

Hemp milk’s popularity is on the rise, and well-known companies such as Tempt and Pacific will be at the forefront of this emerging multi-million-dollar market.

Hemp Milk Nutrition & Taste

Hemp milk has a long list of advantages since it is rich in many required amino acids. It also includes traces of a number of additional minerals. Hemp milks from reputable manufacturers do not contain phytates, which are enzyme blockers found in certain plant-based foods that may hinder the absorption of key minerals.

Hemp milk has its own distinct flavor profile and is a little thicker than soy or rice milk.

Hemp protein digestion is also simpler than soy because it is devoid of complex carbohydrates (oligosaccharides). When these sugars aren’t broken down correctly during digestion, they cause flatulence!

Hemp seeds are mild in flavor and have a creamier, nuttier taste than sunflower seeds. To make hemp milk, the seeds are crushed. After the seeds have been consumed up, the remaining solid material is blended with water and filtered. Hemp milk has a unique flavor and is thicker than other milks.

A quick rundown 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 variety of tastes, including vanilla and chocolate, as well as ‘long life’ and ‘fresh.’ You may also choose between ‘long life’ milk kept in the cupboard or refrigerated ‘fresh’ hemp milk. Plain hemp milk has no sugar or cholesterol and is gluten and soy-free; it’s great for people who are allergic to dairy products but miss the taste of cow’s milk.

Best Hemp Milk Recipe

Hemp milk is simple to produce, and it has a high protein content. Aside from this, hemp milk has a lot of advantages over cow’s milk.

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.

Overall, this dish may make 6 cups and can stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least three days. We recommend storing it in a sealed glass mason jar and shaking it before each usage.

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

Put the water and hemp seeds into a blender.
Use less water if you want thicker milk. If you want your beverage to be similar to dairy skim milk, use more water.
Turn the blender on full power for a maximum of three minutes.
If you wish, sweeten the milk by adding honey or stevia after blending.
Blend again if you add sweetener.
Drain it through a cheesecloth to remove large seed particles.
Enjoy your milk in good health!

The key is to store it in a cool and dark environment. The seed shell, on the other hand, may help you harvest your excess coffee beans. You can use the leftover seed pulp as a facial mask or a body scrub; some people even utilize it as part of their compost heaps.

Hemp Milk Dangers

Hemp milk’s advantages and drawbacks may be discussed for individuals who are concerned about potential hazards. Hemp milk is safe to consume as long as it is produced by a reputable firm and contains no potentially harmful additives.

Hemp milk, on the other hand, is a wonderful dairy alternative. However, as the market grows, an increasing number of non-dairy milk alternatives include processed chemicals that may be hazardous to one’s health. As a result, we recommend avoiding hemp milk that includes any of the following:

Carrageenan: This is a seaweed-based supplement. It’s so harmful to your digestive system that it’s used in lab animals to induce colitis! Carrageenan has been designated as a potential human carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Natural Flavors: Be wary of hemp milk products that include the word “natural flavors” in their list of ingredients. Manufacturers who do so are skirting the obligation to describe additives like aspartame, saccharin, and MSG.

Vegetable Oils: Hemp milk with canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, or safflower oil is a no-no. Corn oil extraction is a difficult process. It generally necessitates the use of high heat and pressure as well as toxic solvents and other potentially harmful components. It’s a mix that wreaks havoc on fatty acid molecules’ delicate chemical structure. Soy and corn oils are frequently sourced from GMO crops.

Hemp Milk vs. Almond Milk

Organic hemp milk is a relatively new concept (at least among the general public). In contrast, almond milk has a long history as the health-conscious individual’s go-to traditional milk option. We’ll look at some of hemp milk’s advantages below before getting into what almond milk offers. First, let’s take a look at what almond milk has to offer.

Creating hemp milk at home is slightly more straightforward, although making almond milk should not pose much of a challenge. Soak almonds in water for a few hours. Drain and blend the almonds with additional water until they have a milky texture. Remove the almond “milk” and set the leftover pieces aside. Almond milk is high in vitamins, minerals, and overall health advantages.

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 has a lower incidence of negative effects than almond milk, although we can’t make the same claim about almonds. Almond milk is good for you, but it has the following drawbacks:

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 contain the proper nutritional profile for newborns. As a result, it can’t be used as a substitute for breast milk or formula.
It’s labeled as a ‘goitrogenic food.’ This means it contains chemicals that might harm your thyroid when you consume them in large amounts.

Hemp milk and cow’s milk are comparable in terms of taste, nutritional value, and digestibility. Hemp milk is not a good substitute for cow’s milk for children or adults. It isn’t safe to give hemp milk to infants or toddlers, however. Because it lacks sugar and contains fewer calories than almond milk, it has a tiny advantage over it. People who are allergic to nuts can enjoy hemp milk since it does not contain any sugar and has less calories than almond milk.

Is Hemp Milk Good for Your Health?

Yes, hemp seed milk is wonderful for the majority of people. Hemp milk has a low calorie content, making it an ideal component to a balanced diet. It’s especially beneficial if you’re attempting to reduce weight.

There are only two hemp milk components to consider when making it yourself. Water and shelled hemp seeds are required (although you may also add a sweetener if desired).

Here are some of hemp milk’s numerous advantages. It includes the following:

Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Both are required for proper brain function. Hemp milk contains the optimal 3:1 ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 acids, which is uncommon for a commercially available product.
Vitamins: Hemp milk is a great source of vitamin A, which is essential for growth and immunity. It also contains 25% of your daily vitamin D and B12 needs, as well as at least 6% of your vitamin E RDA.
Minerals: Hemp milk is high in calcium, which is often added during production. You also get a lot of magnesium and iron from it.
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 differ depending on the manufacturer. There might be some hemp milk side effects, however:

Stomach ache from the tannins and saponins in hemp.
Nutritional deficiencies (if consumed by babies).
The most common adverse effects are allergic reactions, such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, hives, eye irritation, and anaphylaxis. These events are uncommon, but they do occur.
Hypokalemia is a condition in which the potassium level in your blood is low. It’s also known as ‘hypokalemia.’
It’s possible that store-bought hemp seed milk contains gelling agents, which might cause abnormal gastrointestinal activity. Carrageenan (Tempt and Pacific no longer use it), guar gum, and xanthan gum are examples of harmful gelling components.

Hemp Milk Side Effects

Hemp milk is well tolerated by most individuals. However, some people may suffer from the following hemp milk side effects in rare cases:

Allergic Reaction

Look for any indications of an allergic response to hemp milk or any of its additives and components. These can range in severity from hives and rashes to anaphylactic shock.

Stomach Aches

Hemp milk is made from hemp plant seeds and has tannins, water-soluble polyphenols, and other naturally occurring chemicals called saponins in it. In some people, these components may give stomach discomfort.

We mentioned that some brands include the additive carrageenan in their hemp milk, which has shown to have potential health risks. Some manufacturers also add thickeners such as guar gum or xanthan gum. These gelling agents can cause stomach pains, bloating, and digestive tract inflammation. As a result, you must check for any of these potentially harmful additives before buying hemp milk to ensure that you are not ingesting them.

Low Potassium Levels

Some companies add cyanocobalamin, a manufactured form of vitamin B12, to their hemp milk. Cyanocobalamin may cause hypokalemia, or low potassium levels in the blood, in rare circumstances.

Diabetes

Hemp milk, like all types of milk, has a high fat content. It is essential to know that some hemp milk products contain additional sugars, which might raise the risk of diabetes over time. Again, examine the label before making your selection for 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?

When it comes to improving soil health, the hemp plant is well-known for its environmental sustainability. One of the several environmental advantages of industrial hemp production is that each tonne of hemp cultivated releases 1.63 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Hemp is also a low-fertilizer and zero-pesticide/herbicide crop. The carbon emissions from hemp cultivation are relatively low with little management effort required. Hemp farming may be done on previously utilized agricultural land (unlike most crops). Hemp has also been shown to enhance surrounding crop yields via crop rotation as part of a wider study on this topic.

Hemp does, however, require more water than oats, soybeans and peas. Hemp was also among the top five most water-intensive crops in a study conducted by the European Environmental Agency.

Hemp farming, unlike almond milk and cow’s milk, still requires far less water. As a result, hemp milk is still a significantly better alternative than dairy in comparison.

Which hemp milks are the best?

Hemp milk is gluten-free, cholesterol-free, and low in sugar. Hemp is a wonderful alternative for people on a diet that limits carbohydrates or those who are diabetic because it contains 50% of the omega-3 requirements per 250ml glass. It also has vitamin A, D, and calcium fortification.

It has a subtle, earthy flavor that goes well with a cup of tea. It may be used to make sweets, cereal, or even eaten on its own.

Hemp milk from Feel Good Hemp is also available. It may be frothed and has a mild sweetness to it with a smooth texture. The barista seed milk is thicker in consistency, allowing for creamier lattes and cappuccinos.

The barista milk contains a few more calories and sugar, but has the same omega-3 and omega-6 contents as its counterpart. Other than that, this barista alternative is a fantastic method to make a cup of coffee more nutritious, especially due to hemp’s beneficial fats.

Ecomil Unsweetened Hemp Drink

Ecomil is a firm that makes unsweetened hemp milk, which is available in different flavors. If you’re diabetic or just looking for a sugar-free alternative, Ecomil hemp milk may be the answer.

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

Sojade Natural Hemp Drink

Sojade Natural Hemp Drink is another low-calorie hemp milk alternative with no added sugars. This has a somewhat thicker texture than Good Hemp but contains about the same protein as other hemp milks, at 0.5g per 100ml. Sojade is another low-calorie hemp milk option without any added sugars.