Hemp-based protein powders are becoming increasingly popular among vegan, vegetarian, lactose-intolerant, and flexitarian fitness enthusiasts as a convenient, versatile source of complete protein.
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Max Protein is one of the most popular hemp protein powders on the market, but is this protein worth your hard-earned money?
In our Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein Powder review, our experts give their honest opinions on its nutrition, taste, versatility, and more to help you decide whether this product meets your health and fitness needs.
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.
Reviewed by Fitness and Nutrition Experts
At Garage Gym Reviews, our registered dietitians, certified personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and certified nutrition coaches are experts in using nutrition to fuel workouts, optimize recovery, and reach all types of athletic and fitness goals.
Hemp Yeah! Max Protein was tested by GGR editor and NASM-Certified Nutrition Coach Frieda Johnson as part of her usual supplementation routine. She gave us her honest feedback on the product, paying particular attention to its taste, mixability, and packaging. She followed the GGR supplement testing methodology to rate each category on a scale of 1 to 5, including categories such as:
- Price per serving
- Formulation
- Customer reviews
- Third-party testing
As a vegan registered dietitian, I’ll provide my thoughts on the benefits of hemp protein powder and who I believe would benefit from this product.
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah!
Product Highlights
- Hemp protein vegan protein powder
- 3 available flavors
- Certified USDA organic, Non-GMO Project verified, dairy-free, soy-free, and kosher
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Pros
- Only two ingredients in unsweetened flavor
- 3 flavors available
- Good for environment
Cons
- Cons
- Hemp-based protein may not be acceptable for competitive athletes getting tested
- Customers report it has chalky/gritty texture
- Some users found oregano extract to have overwhelming taste
Bottom Line
Hemp Yeah! Protein is a protein powder with a short list of ingredients that is good for the environment.
A Quick Look at Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Max Protein
Manitoba Harvest specializes in organic, GMO-free hemp-based products, including hemp hearts, granola, hemp protein powders, and hemp seed oils. They place a high value on sustainability as a Certified B Corp with a carbon-neutral certification.
They offer protein powders made from a blend of hemp and pea protein, but we were intrigued by their Hemp Yeah! Max Protein made solely with hemp protein concentrate.
This protein has 20 grams of protein per scoop and a simple, unflavored formula, with organic hemp protein concentrate and natural oregano extract as the only two ingredients.
Before You Buy
- Appropriate for vegan, keto, dairy-free, and Kosher diets.
- The 32-ounce bag is the most cost-effective option.
- Manitoba Harvest offers a similar-looking plant protein blend and a Max Fiber version, so make sure you’ve chosen the correct product before purchasing.
Is Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Protein Powder Worth It?
Hemp Yeah! Max Protein is a great plant protein with 20 grams of protein per scoop. It has more protein than most hemp protein powders thanks to the use of hemp protein concentrate.
Hemp protein may not be quite as efficacious as equivalent amounts of other plant proteins like soy, but it can still help you build lean muscle.
If you’re looking for a fairly natural vegan protein powder without artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors and plan to mix it with other flavorful ingredients, this could be a great option.
Great for:
- People looking for a simple, organic plant protein without artificial ingredients or added sugars
- Those who enjoy the taste of natural, unsweetened products
- An additional source of omega-3 fatty acids
Not recommended for:
- Those wanting the most efficient plant protein for building muscle
- People who want a sweet protein
- Those on low-fat diets
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Max Protein Specs
| Price per serving | $1.08-$1.33 |
| Serving Size | 4 Tbsp (32 g) |
| Type of protein | Organic hemp protein concentrate |
| Protein content | 20 g |
| Carb content | 5 g (3 g dietary fiber)* |
| Fat content | 6 g |
| Notable ingredients | Natural oregano extract |
| Flavors | Unsweetened |
| Third-party tested? | Yes |
*Note: The carbohydrate content is incorrect as listed on the nutrition facts label. After contacting customer service, the company confirmed that each scoop contains 5 grams of carbs.
Experience Using Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Max Protein
Frieda Johnson, CNC, was impressed by the Manitoba Harvest organic hemp protein, saying: “This is a good one to try if you want to use it in smoothies or otherwise mixed with liquid. It has a mild flavor and smooth texture that won’t overwhelm what it’s being mixed with.”
She also loved the eco-friendly packaging. Not only do they use a bag instead of a container, which reduces the amount of plastic used, but the bag is filled to the brim, making their packaging significantly less wasteful than many other products. It’s nice to find a company that takes environmental issues into account.
Price Per Serving
The price per serving varies depending on which size container you choose and where you purchase the product. The best deal we found was the 32-ounce bag from Amazon at $1.08 per serving.
For a hemp-based product with such a simple ingredient list, this is an incredible value earning a 5 out of 5 rating.
Formulation
The ingredients in this product are simple: organic hemp protein concentrate and oregano extract. Hemp protein concentrate is more processed than typical hemp protein used by other brands, which is what gives Hemp Yeah! Max Protein an impressive 20 grams of protein per scoop.
Since it’s made from high-fat hemp seeds, it’s understandably higher in fat than most other powders. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing considering some of these fats are anti-inflammatory omega-3s, but it may make hitting your macros a little difficult depending on the fat content of the rest of your diet.
Hemp is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, but it’s lower in leucine than some other plant proteins. Leucine is one of three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and is essential for stimulating muscle protein synthesis.
According to Manitoba Harvest, each serving contains 1.4 grams of leucine. This fits within the International Society of Sports Nutrition1 recommendation of 0.7 to 3 grams of leucine for stimulating muscle protein synthesis, but people who want to be on the higher end of this range might need to use a double serving or blend it with soy milk or pea protein.
Overall, we rated the formulation a 4 out of 5.
RELATED: Plant-Based Protein Powder Benefits
Taste and Solubility
Hemp Yeah! Max Protein is only available unsweetened and unflavored.
Frieda told us that it “has a very mild hemp flavor. Some online reviews complain of an oregano flavor, but I didn’t have that issue.” She felt the flavor was mild enough to where it didn’t overpower the flavor of anything she mixed it with. “I’ve been mixing a scoop into my oatmeal in the morning for a little extra protein and it mixes in well and gives the oatmeal a creamier texture,” she said.
It also mixed surprisingly well in liquids and was a great addition to smoothies. Frieda appreciated its smooth texture and noted that “there is a little bit of settling, but it’s not grainy at all.”
We gave it a 4.5 out of 5 for its surprisingly pleasant flavor and a 4.5 out of 5 for solubility.
Side Effects
Hemp protein is generally well-tolerated. It’s lactose-free, meaning people with lactose intolerance or milk allergies can consume it safely, and hemp seed allergies are rare.
This was reflected in Frieda’s experience. She didn’t have any unpleasant side effects with this protein, so she gave it a 5 out of 5.
RELATED: Is Protein Powder Bad for Your Kidneys?
Third-Party Testing
The FDA doesn’t regulate dietary supplements, so third-party testing is the best way to ensure that a product is free from potentially harmful contaminants or banned substances.
Fortunately, Manitoba Harvest has its supplements tested and lists Certificates of Analysis for each product batch directly on its website.
This protein is also USDA Organic certified and Non-GMO Project Verified.
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! vs Sunwarrior Hemp Protein
Sunwarrior Hemp protein
Sunwarrior Hemp Protein
Product Highlights
- Vegan protein powder available in unflavored, chocolate, vanilla, maple french toast, mocha, berry, and pumpkin spice
- Combines organic hemp seed protein, antioxidants, MCTs, and coconut
- Raw, USDA-certified organic, non-GMO, low-carb, 100% vegan
- Each serving contains 15–19 g of protein and 6 g of BCAAs
- Keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, kosher-friendly
- Contains electrolytes and BCAAs claimed to promote lean muscle
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Clean ingredients
- Naturally occurring BCAAs
- Solid nutritional profile
- Reportedly mixes and tastes good
Cons
- Contains stevia
- May be too sweet for some
Bottom Line
Sunwarrior’s hemp protein is a vegan, bioavailable protein powder that combines organic hemp seed protein with antioxidants, MCTs, and coconut oil. It is a raw, USDA-certified organic, non-GMO, low-carb, and a 100% vegan source of 15–19 grams of protein with 6 grams of BCAAs per serving. While most users raved over the taste, some found it too sweet.
There aren’t a ton of hemp protein powders on the market, but they still differ in significant ways. We’ve compared Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Max Protein to another popular option, Sunwarrior Hemp Protein, in the chart below. Sunwarrior Hemp Protein is a single-ingredient protein powder containing just hemp protein. It is unflavored, unsweetened, and organically grown. It only has 15 grams of protein compared to the 20 grams in Manitoba Harvest’s hemp protein, and it also has less fat and more fiber.
RELATED: Sunwarrior Vegan Protein Review
| Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! | Sunwarrior Hemp Protein | |
| Price per serving | $1.08-$1.33 | $1.12 |
| Serving Size | 4 Tbsp (32 g) | 1 scoop (30 g) |
| Type of protein | Organic hemp protein concentrate | Organic hemp seed protein |
| Protein content | 20 g | 15 g |
| Carb content | 5 g (3 g dietary fiber) | 8 g (6 g dietary fiber) |
| Fat content | 6 g | 3.5 g |
| Notable ingredients | Natural oregano extract | No additional ingredients |
| Flavors | Unflavored | Unflavored |
| Third-party tested? | Yes | No |
Customer Experience
Our experience using Hemp Yeah! Max Protein was pretty straightforward. We didn’t have any issues with product quality, shipping, or delivery, and haven’t seen any related customer complaints.
If you do have an issue, Manitoba Harvest makes it easy to contact customer service. They can be reached at info@manitobaharvest.com or by phone at 1-800-665-4367.
The returns process is a bit more complicated compared to other retailers. While the company offers a full refund within 30 days (including shipping costs!), you’ll need to provide a detailed description of the problem and your original payment confirmation.
If requesting a refund due to poor product quality, you may also be required to provide additional information such as the lot number, “packaged on” date, and product photos. You may also need to physically return the product for inspection.
This is understandable for a smaller business, but it makes returns less convenient.
Ordering Manitoba Harvest Hemp Yeah! Max Protein
Hemp Yeah! Max Protein is available on the Manitoba Harvest website and from other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Sprouts, and Vitacost.
Ordering from their website was simple. All you need to do is add the product to your virtual cart, choose your shipping method, and enter your payment information.
Ground shipping to Texas, where I live, was typical at $8.99. If you choose the Subscribe & Save option, you’ll save 5% on your total.
Customer Reviews
Hemp Yeah! Max Protein is rated well across various retailers. The Manitoba Harvest website has 30 reviews rating the product 4.8 stars out of 5, with customers praising its mixability, smooth texture, and neutral flavor.
It seems like this protein is most delicious when blended with fruit or other strong flavors. A few reviews weren’t impressed with the taste on its own, acknowledging its “earthy” flavor.
It’s rated a bit lower on Amazon at 4.2 stars with over 1,600 customer reviews. Many enjoyed how it “blends seamlessly into…fruit smoothies”, appreciated the high protein content, and loved the non-gritty texture.
Again, some customers just weren’t fans of the unsweetened, earthy flavor and felt the oregano extract was overpowering.
Final Verdict of Our Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein Powder Review
Overall, this is a solid organic hemp protein powder with more protein than other hemp-based options. You may not like it if you prefer flavored protein supplements, but it could be a great product if you:
- Want an affordable, high-protein hemp protein
- Value simple, “clean” ingredients
- Plan to mix it with fruit or other flavors in a protein shake or your favorite smoothie
Full Rating
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein Powder
Hemp Yeah! Protein is a protein powder with a short list of ingredients that is good for the environment.
Product Brand: Manitoba Harvest
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 18.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.2
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein Powder: FAQs
Is hemp protein powder good for you?
Hemp protein powder is a nutritious source of high-quality plant protein, making it easier to meet increased protein needs. It’s also a good source of dietary fiber and omega-3 fats.
Is hemp protein better than whey protein?
Whey protein is likely more effective than hemp for building muscle due to its higher leucine content. Whether one is “better” than the other will depend on your goals and dietary preferences.
Can hemp protein help you lose weight?
Yes, hemp protein is a convenient way to increase your protein intake, which can assist with weight loss. Note, however, that it may not fit well into lower-fat nutrition plans.
Can you have hemp protein everyday?
Yes, hemp protein is safe to consume every day as part of a balanced diet that also includes whole high-protein foods, grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
References
Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. Published 2017 Jun 20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
