Hemp seeds are highly nutritious, but they are not a complete food on their own if you're talking about meeting all of a person's nutritional needs.
Here's how they stack up:
What hemp seeds do provide well
Hulled hemp seeds (hemp hearts) are rich in:
- Complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids (though they're somewhat lower in lysine than many animal proteins).
- Healthy fats, especially polyunsaturated fats including omega-6 linoleic acid and omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.
- Fiber (more so in whole hemp seeds than hulled hemp hearts).
- Vitamin E.
- Minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc, and copper.
What they don't provide enough of
Even if you ate a lot of hemp seeds, they would fall short in several key nutrients, including:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin A (very little)
- Vitamin K
- Calcium (some is present, but not enough to meet needs without very large amounts)
- Iodine
- Selenium (amount depends heavily on where the hemp was grown)
- Certain phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables
Practical limitations
Hemp seeds are also very calorie-dense. A typical serving (3 tablespoons, about 30 g) contains roughly:
- 170–180 calories
- 10 g protein
- 15 g fat
- 2–3 g carbohydrate
Trying to meet all your protein, vitamin, and mineral needs with hemp seeds alone would require eating thousands of calories' worth while still leaving important nutrient deficiencies.
Complete protein vs. complete food
It's worth distinguishing these concepts:
- Complete protein: Hemp seeds qualify because they contain all essential amino acids.
- Complete food: Hemp seeds do not qualify, because no single whole food provides all essential nutrients in the amounts humans need over the long term.
So while hemp seeds are an excellent addition to a balanced diet, they are not nutritionally complete as a sole food source. They pair well with foods like legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and calcium- and vitamin B12-fortified foods (or animal products, if you eat them) to create a more complete overall diet.
