At the Target in Manhattan Beach, CA we spotted this Hemp2o drink for sale. The 16.9 ounce bottle costs a whopping $3. That was nearly twice their price for coconut water (Vita Coco) of the same size.
Does hemp water get you high?
Hemp water might give you a sugar high, but that’s it. As with hemp protein, seeds, and other foods made from this plant, there is no THC or CBD in them. Technically there may be a trace amount, but it’s too little to influence cognitive ability.
If you turn to the number one seller of seeds, Nutiva, they report their foods as having less than 10 parts per million of THC. That’s 0.001% or lower.
On the website for this brand of hemp water it says:
“Hemp2o is an organic, herbal, vitamin beverage that does not contain the THC found in Marijuana, but hemp-seed extract. This natural oil is filled with essential nutrients that regulate mental health while also nourishing the body.”
That’s why seeds and beverages made from them are 100% legal in the United States for anyone to buy. They’re quite different than pot, as they have zero mind-altering effects.
Ingredients
So what is Hemp2o water good for?
Let’s review the benefits, starting with what’s inside…
When you ignore the added vitamins and minerals, it’s basically just water, sugar, “natural flavor” and hemp seed oil.
But how much hemp oil are you really getting?
They don’t say, but the nutrition facts label gives us a clue…
With a staggering 20g of sugar per serving (and two per bottle) it means you are drinking 40g of sugar and 160 calories total.
It is common knowledge in science that 1g of sugar = 4 calories.
Even Google knows that…
Both carbs and proteins are 4 calories per gram, while fats (i.e. pure oil) are higher.
1g of fat/oil = 9 calories.
Since the label lists 20g of sugar, to find the portion of calories coming from sugar, we multiply 20 times 4 and get 80 calories.
But wait, there’s only 80 calories per serving! That doesn’t leave room for more calories coming from fat/oil!
This suggests there’s very little hemp seed oil in the water. Not surprising, being that they list natural flavor and citric acid before they even get to the oil.
You are getting 25% of your daily value of vitamin C and 100% for niacin, B6, pantothenic acid (B5), and B12. As you can see on the ingredients label, those vitamins were added in separately and are not coming from the hemp. Is it really worth paying $2.99 for that?
Even at lower wholesale pricing, it still seems like a stupid purchase.
The Hemp2o variety pack has different flavors and from a look on their website, here’s the full list:
- Grape
- Pineapple Coconut
- Raspberry Lime
- Watermelon Strawberry
- Passion Fruit
- Strawberry
These flavors of hemp water likely taste great, because they’re very sweet. All of them list 20g of sugar per 80 calorie serving. While we can’t say for certain, this suggests that one type doesn’t have more or less hemp oil than another.
To further substantiate how little oil they’re using, check out their Hemp2O Zero.
It’s like Vitamin Water Zero, except Target was selling that for a buck a bottle, not $2.99 like this stuff.
Ingredients: Water, Organic Sugar, Natural Flavor, Citric Acid, Organic Fruit and Vegetable Juice (For Color), Malic Acid, Hemp Seed Oil, Stevia Extract, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Xanthan Gum, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
It’s not 100% sugar free.
The one gram of sugar listed actually equals 4 calories, however the FDA allows for labels to round down 1-4 calories and report them as 0. (1)
For fat, there is 0g listed. That would be where the calories from the hemp would show up.
Verdict
Adding trivial amounts of a superfood to something in order to capitalize on it is nothing new. Countless brands do so and they do so successfully. This hemp water appears no different.
Yes, it technically has a little of the seed oil in it, but mostly what you’re paying for is a bottle of sugar water with added vitamins.
Those vitamins can’t counter the unhealthy side effects 40g of sugar per bottle will bring you. That’s the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar!
Perhaps you could argue the zero calorie version is good for you, however the sugar-laden flavors are a nutritional trainwreck. They’re super bad for you, not superfood.
How to make hemp water
- Take a bottle of water or filter some yourself
- Squeeze a squirt of zero calorie and zero glycemic liquid monk fruit for sweetness.
- Add a tablespoon of Nutiva organic hemp oil
Replace cap and shake vigorously. This is a much better alternative to waters with hemp that you can buy at stores.