Hemp Cake: Nutritional Values and Ways to Use It

Hemp cake is the pressed residue left after oil extraction from hemp seeds. It is a food product: it does not have psychoactive effects and does not contain cannabinoids in amounts that would have any effect. Pressing removes fat from the seeds, leaving protein and fiber, so the residue is nutritionally denser than the seed itself. How much is left depends on whether the seeds were hulled before pressing and how much they were defatted, which is why a single number printed on the package can be misleading. Below are the measured ranges per 100 grams along with sources, the EU THC limit for hemp seed products, and what can be done with hemp cake in the kitchen and in farming.

KEY INFORMATION
• Hemp cake from unhulled seeds has 28.4 to 31.4 g of protein and 37.2 to 41.3 g of dietary fiber per 100 g; from hulled seeds 41.2 to 42.2 g of protein with 6.9 to 8.0 g of fiber (Ambroziak et al., Foods 2025).
• The energy value is 287 to 306 kcal per 100 g for the residue from unhulled seeds and 512 to 540 kcal for hulled residue (Ambroziak et al. 2025).
• The Feedipedia feed base gives 31.9 percent protein and 30.3 percent crude fiber in dry matter for mechanically pressed cake, with 11.5 percent residual fat (Feedipedia, INRAE and CIRAD).
• The protein from hemp cake has a digestibility of 90.8 to 97.5 percent, but the PDCAAS score is only 46 to 51 percent, as lysine is the limiting amino acid (House, Neufeld and Leson, J Agric Food Chem 2010).
• In the residual fat, polyunsaturated fatty acids account for 62 to 72 percent, and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is about 3 to 1 (Ambroziak et al. 2025).
• For ground and defatted hemp seeds, there is a limit of 3.0 mg/kg for the sum of delta-9-THC and THCA, and for seed oil 7.5 mg/kg (Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, Annex I, point 2.6).

What is hemp cake and does it have psychoactive effects?

Hemp cake is the cake that remains in the press after oil extraction from the seeds. It does not have psychoactive effects because the psychoactive part of the plant is the flowering tops, not the seeds. The Polish law on counteracting drug addiction states this explicitly: cannabis other than fiber is defined as the above-ground part of the plant excluding the seeds (art. 4 point 37, Journal of Laws 2005 no. 179 item 1485).

Cold pressing does not extract all the fat: usually, 7 to 12 percent of oil remains in the residue, depending on the precision of the press and the variety (Ambroziak et al. 2025, citing Callaway 2004 and House 2010). The ground residue is sold under the name hemp flour and then contains 13 to 15 percent fat.

cannabinoids enter seed products as contamination from the resin of the flowers during harvesting, which is why the EU treats them as a contaminating substance and sets an upper limit. For ground and partially defatted hemp seeds, it is 3.0 mg/kg for the sum of delta-9-THC and THCA, for seed oil 7.5 mg/kg, and it has been in effect since January 1, 2023 (Regulation (EU) 2023/915). Hemp cake falls under this first provision.

The limit has a toxicological basis: EFSA adopted a reference acute dose of 1 microgram of delta-9-THC per kilogram of body weight. In the EFSA data set from 2020, the median sum of THC and THCA was 150 micrograms per kilogram in hemp seeds and 225 in hemp flour, clearly below the permissible level (EFSA 2020, report 5953). This dataset does not have a separate entry for hemp cake.

What does hemp cake contain per 100 grams?

It mainly depends on whether the seeds were hulled before pressing. A team from Bydgoszcz University of Technology measured both variants on the Polish variety Henola: the residue from unhulled seeds is fiber-rich, while from hulled seeds it is protein-fat-rich (Ambroziak et al., Foods 2025).

These are given as a percentage of the sample mass with a moisture content of 8.9 to 10.5 percent, which is approximately grams per 100 grams. Feed data gives a similar picture: 31.9 percent protein in dry matter with a range of 27.3 to 36.1 and 30.3 percent crude fiber (Feedipedia). House and colleagues report an average of 40.7 percent protein, but with a standard deviation of 8.8 points, which itself indicates how much batches can differ (House et al. 2010).

The amount of protein is not the same as its quality. The digestibility of protein from hemp cake is very high, ranging from 90.8 to 97.5 percent, but the PDCAAS score, which takes into account the amino acid composition, drops to 46 to 51 percent, as lysine is the first limiting amino acid. For comparison: hulled seeds achieve 63 to 66 percent in the same study.

The fat that remains in the residue is polyunsaturated in 62 to 72 percent, with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 of about 3 to 1. Hemp cake also contains phytic acid, from 1.08 to 1.59 percent of dry mass, which binds iron and zinc, so it is not a product to eat instead of a meal.

How to use hemp cake in the kitchen?

The simplest way is to treat it like a coarse flour with a nutty flavor and add it where protein or fiber is needed. It works well in bread and rolls, in pancakes, oatmeal, smoothies, homemade bars, and as part of a breading. It cannot completely replace wheat flour, as it lacks gluten and will not build the structure of the dough.

The substitution is safe when you start with a small amount and add liquid. The residue from unhulled seeds has nearly 40 grams of fiber per 100 grams, and fiber absorbs water, so the dough without adjustment will come out dry and dense.

The version from hulled seeds behaves differently. It has over 30 grams of fat per 100 grams, so it goes rancid faster and is better suited for cold dishes than for long baking. The same study from Bydgoszcz showed that after six months of storage, the acid and peroxide values increase in both variants, and the Totox index exceeds 15, meaning the fat is already oxidized.

Hemp cake does not replace either oil or protein isolate; it stands between them. For pure fat, reach for hemp oil in the kitchen, for pure protein, go for hemp protein. Whole seeds are described in the entry about nutritional values of hemp seeds, and an overview of forms can be found in the guide on hemp in the kitchen. Ready products are in the category hemp food.

Is hemp cake suitable for animal feed?

Yes, and this is its oldest use. The Feedipedia database, maintained by INRAE, CIRAD, AFZ, and FAO, describes hemp residue as a feed material with good protein value, whose use is limited by its high fiber content, especially in pigs and poultry (Feedipedia, hemp).

The results collected there are specific. In ruminants, the residue has been used in cattle fattening up to 3 kg per day and in adult sheep up to 0.5 kg per day, and replacing rapeseed cake with it at a level of 20 percent of the dry matter of the diet did not worsen feed intake or nutrient utilization in sheep. It is also a good source of undegradable protein in the rumen.

In poultry, the picture is mixed. Trials on organic broilers with 10 percent inclusion in the first period and 20 percent in the second did not change production results or mortality, but the high fiber content worsened the litter condition, which affected leg health. In laying hens, mixtures with up to 10 percent of the residue did not reduce egg production and enriched yolk fat with omega-3 fatty acids. Rabbits digest it worse, as fiber lowers the digestibility of the entire diet.

What is not in this source: data for dogs and cats. Feedipedia describes ruminants, poultry, pigs, and rabbits, so feeding hemp cake to companion animals requires a conversation with a veterinarian.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does hemp cake contain THC?

Only trace amounts, and as a contamination transferred from the flowers during harvesting, not as a component of the seeds. The EU has set an upper limit of 3.0 mg per kilogram for ground and defatted hemp seeds for the sum of delta-9-THC and THCA. Hemp cake falls under this provision of regulation 2023/915.

Does hemp cake have psychoactive effects?

No. Seeds are excluded from the statutory definition of cannabis other than fiber, and cannabinoids in seed products are measured in milligrams per kilogram. In the EFSA data from 2020, the median sum of THC and THCA in seeds was 150 micrograms per kilogram.

Is hemp cake the same as hemp flour?

Almost. Hemp flour is ground hemp cake, which is the same residue left after oil extraction, just crushed and sifted. Partially defatted hemp flour usually retains 13 to 15 percent fat, and the differences between batches mainly arise from the degree of defatting and whether the seeds were hulled.

How much protein does hemp cake contain?

From about 28 to over 42 grams per 100 grams, depending on the raw material. The residue from unhulled seeds contains between 28.4 to 31.4 grams, and from hulled seeds 41.2 to 42.2 grams. Feed data gives 31.9 percent in dry matter.

Is hemp cake gluten-free?

Hemp seeds are not grains, so the residue itself does not contain gluten. The risk remains of cross-contamination in the mill that also processes wheat. If you have celiac disease, look for the manufacturer’s declaration, not just the product name.

How to store hemp cake?

Tightly, in a cool place and away from light, because the remaining oil is polyunsaturated and oxidizes. In a study of the Henola variety, after six months, the acid and peroxide values increased in both variants, and the Totox index exceeded 15. The version from hulled seeds spoils faster.

How much hemp cake should be eaten daily?

There are no studies that set a portion of hemp cake for humans, and none of the open sources provide such a number. A practical limit is fiber: the residue from unhulled seeds has nearly 40 grams per 100 grams, so a large portion at once burdens the intestines. Increase the intake gradually.

How does hemp cake differ from hemp protein?

By the degree of purification. Hemp cake is the entire residue after pressing, with fiber and the remaining fat. Hemp protein is made from it by sifting out some of the fiber, so it has more protein and less fiber, but loses what was sifted out.

This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult the use of supplements or herbs with a specialist.

Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-08-24 · Updated: 2026-08-24