Pea protein is usually the easier choice for a concentrated protein top-up, especially alongside strength training. Hemp can suit you if you want a powder with more fibre, though you may need more powder for the same protein. Here’s how the science, actual labels and cost compare. [1][2][3]
My quick take: Start with what you want the powder to do. Extra protein in a small serving? I’d lean towards pea. Extra fibre mixed into breakfast? A hemp powder is worth a look.
What actually changes in a scoop?
A scoop is a surprisingly slippery unit. Brands use different sizes, so comparing “protein per serving” can hide how concentrated a powder really is.
I’ve compared the published labels of three powders from Naturya, Pulsin and Myprotein. The figures below use the same 30 g of powder, not each brand’s scoop size. These are examples, not product endorsements or independent lab tests. [2][3][4]
| Product and version | Protein per 100 g | Protein per 30 g | Fibre per 30 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naturya Organic Hemp Protein Powder | 49 g | 14.7 g | 3.9 g |
| Pulsin Pea Protein Powder, unflavoured | 80 g | 24 g | 0.4 g |
| Myprotein Impact Pea Protein, Salted Caramel | 65 g | 19.5 g | 1.1 g |
The plain pea powder gives you about 9 g more protein than the hemp powder in that same 30 g amount. The flavoured pea option sits between them. That’s why I’d check the specific bag before deciding that all pea or hemp powders are alike.
Which makes more sense for muscle building?
I’d generally start with a concentrated pea powder if adding protein around training is the main job. It can supply more protein in less powder, and there is human training research behind pea protein.
In a 12-week trial involving 161 young men, researchers compared pea protein, whey and placebo alongside resistance training. The protein groups received 25 g twice daily. There was no statistically significant difference between pea and whey. [5]
However, the overall between-group result for muscle thickness wasn’t statistically significant either. Pea outperformed placebo in a subgroup of initially weaker participants, rather than clearly across everyone. [5]
Several authors worked for the company that made the pea protein being tested, so they had a potential conflict of interest. They weren’t exactly neutral spectators in this particular protein contest. That doesn’t make the findings wrong, but it’s a reason to look for independent studies before treating the result as settled. [5]
A separate eight-week pilot study in 15 men and women also found no significant differences between pea and whey in the measured training adaptations. That’s encouraging, but too small to establish that they always perform equally. Neither study tested hemp. [6]
The useful bit: Pea is a reasonable plant-based option for topping up protein alongside training. These studies support that choice; they don’t prove pea beats hemp in a direct contest.
Are hemp and pea “complete” proteins?
Yes, both contain all nine essential amino acids, so they’re often described as “complete” proteins. But that doesn’t mean they provide those amino acids in equal amounts, or that your body digests them equally well. The amount of each amino acid matters, not just whether it’s there.
Amino acids are protein’s building blocks. Essential ones must come from food because your body cannot make enough itself. A “limiting” amino acid is present in a relatively small amount compared with what your body needs.
A laboratory analysis of commercial protein ingredients found relatively little lysine in hemp and little methionine in pea. It also found more leucine in pea than hemp; leucine helps signal muscle protein building. These were ingredient measurements, not a trial of muscle gains. [1]
In practice, eat a range of protein foods rather than relying on one powder for everything.
Soy is another option to consider. My soy versus whey comparison looks at that choice separately.
Does hemp offer more fibre and healthy fats?
The fibre can be a meaningful difference. The hemp example above supplies 3.9 g in 30 g of powder. That is a useful addition, although other hemp products can have different amounts. [2]
Making hemp protein powder usually involves pressing oil out of the seeds, then milling what’s left. That removes much of the oil, taking a lot of the seeds’ unsaturated fats with it. Some fat remains, but you shouldn’t expect the powder to provide the same amount as whole hemp seeds. [2]
Naturya’s label lists 11 g total fat and 1.7 g of ALA, a plant omega-3, per 100 g. That works out at 3.3 g fat and 0.51 g ALA in 30 g. Those are figures for this powder, not a promise about every hemp product. [2]
Read the bag: Choose hemp for the nutrients its own label actually lists. “Made from hemp” doesn’t tell you the fibre, fat or mineral content of your serving.
What about taste, texture and digestion?
Hemp is often described as nutty or earthy, while pea products range from plain powders to sweetened shakes. Processing, flavourings and what you mix them with all affect the result. This comparison is label-based, not a hands-on taste test. [4][2]
I’d buy a small bag first. A bargain five-kilo sack is less impressive if it spends the next year judging you from the cupboard.
- For a smoothie: try banana, cocoa and your usual milk or plant drink.
- For porridge: mix a little powder with liquid first, then stir it in and adjust the consistency.
- For a plain shake: start with the manufacturer’s liquid guidance before deciding it needs another scoop.
I wouldn’t promise that either form is automatically gentler on your stomach. Serving size, fibre, added ingredients and individual tolerance all matter.
Are these powders suitable if you have allergies?
Plant-based does not mean allergy-free. Peas are legumes, alongside peanuts, soya and lentils. Allergy to one doesn’t automatically mean allergy to all, but pea protein needs particular care if you have a pea allergy. [7]
If you have a peanut or another legume allergy and are unsure about concentrated pea protein, ask your allergy team. Read the full ingredients list and cross-contact advice rather than relying on a vegan badge. [7]
For example, the Myprotein product lists a facility that also handles milk. Check the current pack for your particular needs, including any “may contain” warnings. [4]
How do you compare value without getting lost in offers?
Compare cost per 25 g of protein, not just the price of the bag. That keeps the comparison fair when one powder contains much more protein than another. The 25 g amount is a comparison unit, not a serving prescription.
A simple example: Imagine two 1 kg bags, each costing £20 including delivery. At 50% protein, you’d pay £1 per 25 g of protein. At 80% protein, you’d pay about 63p.
Those are illustrative prices, not current offers. Use the actual pack weight, protein percentage and checkout total for whichever products you’re considering.
The cheaper protein isn’t automatically the better purchase. Fibre, flavour and whether you’ll actually use it still count. But this calculation stops a smaller scoop or a bigger bag doing the sales pitch for you.
Before you buy: compare the actual powders
- Compare equal amounts. Read protein per 100 g; scoop sizes differ.
- Check the full ingredients. A plain powder, blend and flavoured shake are different products.
- Include delivery. Divide your delivered price by the pack’s total protein, then multiply by 25.
- Check allergy advice. Include cross-contact warnings, not just the main ingredient.
- Separate facts from preferences. Labels show nutrition; they cannot tell you whether you’ll enjoy the taste.
No powder required: If your meals already provide the protein you need, there’s no special benefit to adding a shake simply because you train. For a food-based option, my UK yoghurt protein comparison shows why the pot’s label matters too.
What I’d choose
For a straightforward protein top-up: I’d start with a small bag of concentrated pea protein and check the delivered cost. For extra fibre in breakfast: I’d consider hemp, provided I liked the texture and it suited my digestion.
Either way, I’d choose something I would actually use. The best-looking nutrition panel in the world is doing very little sitting unopened in a cupboard.
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References
- Gorissen SHM, et al. Protein content and amino acid composition of commercially available plant-based protein isolates. Amino Acids. 2018;50:1685–1695. Read study.
- Naturya. Organic Hemp Protein Powder: nutrition and processing. Checked 24 September 2026.
- Pulsin. Unflavoured Pea Protein Powder: nutrition. Checked 24 September 2026.
- Myprotein. Impact Pea Protein, Salted Caramel, 960 g: nutrition and ingredients. Checked 24 September 2026.
- Babault N, et al. Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. whey protein. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2015;12:3. Read study.
- Banaszek A, et al. The effects of whey vs. pea protein on physical adaptations following 8-weeks of high-intensity functional training (HIFT): a pilot study. Sports. 2019;7(1):12. Read study.
- British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology. Pea protein and food allergy labelling.
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