Nutiva Organic Hemp Shake

Nutiva is the creation of author and activist John Roulac, whose book “Backyard Composting” helped jumpstart the home composting movement in the 1990’s; and whose fight against the US DEA, helped mainstream hemp foods in the United States.  Nutiva markets a range of hemp products: bars, oil, seeds, protein powder and shakes; as well as extra virgin coconut oil.  The Hemp Shakes come in three flavors: Amazon Acai, Berry Pomegranate and Chocolate.

Manufacturer’s Description: The powdered shakes contain nourishing superfoods, such as hemp, blueberries, pomegranates, açai and goji berries, maca root, and ramon nuts, that are rich not only in protein but in minerals, antioxidants, and healthful fatty acids. Hemp protein contains 66 percent edestin—easier to digest than soy—and, unlike most soy protein, isn’t processed with hexane solvents.

Serving Size 4 level tablespoons (30g) Calories 100 Calories from Fat 30 Total Fat 3g Saturated Fat 0g Trans Fat 0g Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 5mg Total Carbohydrate 15g Dietary Fiber 8g	Soluble Fiber 2g Insoluble Fiber 6g Sugars 3g Protein 9g Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 2% Iron 25% Thiamin 20% Phosphorus 15% Magnesium 30% Zinc 15%
Ingredients: Organic hemp protein, superfood Amazon blend (organic mesquite pods, organic Sambazon® açai, organic maca, organic Brazil nut protein, organic tropical fruit flavor), organic guar gum, inulin from chicory root.

Comments: Ok, I’ll admit it…Nutiva is one of those companies that makes you feel noble just buying their products. Hemp foods are nutritious. They’re green. They’re organic. They promote sustainable agriculture, and provide an profitable alternative for smaller growers. Hemp producers were the underdog in the fight against the DEA (and inclusion of marijuana in the “War on Drugs” never made sense to me, anyway).

But I also have to admit that hemp foods are an acquired taste. Shelled hemp seed is actually pretty good: the seeds are soft, mild-flavored and almost buttery-tasting. But hemp protein powder is relentlessly green and gritty…anyone used to dairy protein powders like whey will be in for a shock. It’s better, however, in the form of shakes such as Nutiva’s.

I picked up a container of the “Amazon Acai” Hemp Shake from iherb.com for $15.00 – this is the equivalent to 14 servings. There is no sugar (or artificial sweeteners) added to the product, which is probably why the label recommends using vanilla rice milk as an “ideal” liquid to blend it in. Needless to state, rice milk isn’t something I keep around the house, so I picked up a quart at the grocery store, to give the shake mix its best shot.

It’s wasn’t pretty to look at: the resulting shake was greyish, with dark flecks. But it was mild-tasting, with a slightly sweet, vaguely fruity taste. As I expected from my experience with hemp protein, it’s gritty, but nonetheless drinkable. Not great, but not bad, either. It tended to be watery at first (thanks to the rice milk, which is quite thin), but got thicker after standing for a few minutes.

Nutiva Hemp Shakes are an excellent source of dietary fiber, and is certainly a more nutritious way to get it than using expensive fiber supplements or “cleansing” products. Hemp is fairly high quality for a plant protein, so is suitable for omnivores as well as vegetarians, too.

Taste: 2.5/5.0

Quality: 5.0/5.0

Efficacy: 4.0/5.0

Value: 3.0/5.0

Overall: 3.5/5.0

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