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There's this myth floating around that many people still believe, that vegetarian food sources are not complete proteins and thus must be combined (the assumption being meat sources are far superior).
Dr. Michael Greger explains at his site NutritionFacts.org that all nutrients come from the sun or the soil. Cows, for example, get their nutrients from the sun and from plant-based foods like grass and hay. So if cows eat plants, and plants provide cows with all the nutrients they need, why would we assume steak is a more complete protein than the food that provides the steak with its nutrients? The answer: We shouldn’t.
While it’s true that some plant proteins are relatively low in certain essential amino acids, our bodies know how to make up for it.
“It turns out our body is not stupid,” Greger explains. “It maintains pools of free amino acids that can be used to do all the complementing for us. Not to mention the massive protein recycling program our body has. Some 90 grams of protein is dumped into the digestive tract every day from our own body to get broken back down and reassembled, so our body can mix and match amino acids to whatever proportions we need, whatever we eat.”
Greger told HuffPost that there’s no such thing as incomplete vegetarian protein. The only incomplete protein in the food supply is gelatin, which lacks tryptophan.
That is patently false misinformation. There is no plant protein that can match protein profiles in shell fish, seafood, and various animals. Because many of those amino acids only exist in living creatures. Even if I devoted majority of my meals to plants due to the source of minerals I wouldn't discount protein from meats which have essential amino acids that are building blocks for tissues especially for brain health.
There's this myth floating around that many people still believe, that vegetarian food sources are not complete proteins and thus must be combined (the assumption being meat sources are far superior).
Yes, huffpost if not the best source but that is beside the point.
It is possible to get "complete" amino acids from vegetarian sources when you combine foods.
There are 9 essential amino acids. Animal protein provides all of them together, hence why they are called "complete" proteins. Vegetarian sources provide them individually. As a vegetarian you would actually have to pay attention to this data to get your complete protein. The only exception would be soy which has it's drawbacks which I will not get into.
Here it is in a nutshell.
Quote:
There are 20 different amino acids in total, which can be broken down into two main groups, per the FDA. Nine of the 20 are what are referred to as essential amino acids, meaning that the body is unable to produce them itself and so we must get them from food. The other 11 are nonessential because the body is able to synthesize them out of the essential amino acids or the normal process of breaking down proteins, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Many of these nonessential amino acids are also considered conditional amino acids, because they can become essential in rare, severe instances when the body is unable to synthesize amino acids properly, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Now, when a protein is a good source of all nine of the essential amino acids, we call it a complete protein, according to the FDA. All animal products are complete proteins, and so is soy. When a protein is missing or pretty low in any of those essential amino acids, it’s considered incomplete. Most plant foods are considered incomplete proteins.
The good news for vegetarians, vegans, and lovers of plant foods in general is that you can still easily get all the essential amino acids from eating a wide variety of incomplete proteins. As the FDA explains, incomplete proteins are often just lacking in one or two amino acids, so they can often make up for whatever the other one is lacking. (Pretty romantic, right?) For instance, grains are low in an amino acid called lysine, while beans and nuts are low in methionine. But when you eat, say, beans and rice or wheat toast with nut butter, you’re getting all the amino acids that you do when you eat, say, chicken. While people used to be encouraged to eat foods in combinations at meals, we now know this is not necessary, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, as long as you’re eating a variety of complementary incomplete proteins throughout the day.
It is possible to get "complete" amino acids from vegetarian sources when you combine foods.
There are 9 essential amino acids. Animal protein provides all of them together, hence why they are called "complete" proteins. Vegetarian sources provide them individually. As a vegetarian you would actually have to pay attention to this data to get your complete protein. The only exception would be soy which has it's drawbacks which I will not get into.
Off topic I know but Omega-3 fats is another story. The best source is fish. Perhaps in another thread?
My understanding is that certain fish is also high in vitamin B-12.
Some people are non-ideological vegans, they simply do not digest animal-based foods well (e.g. milk, yogurt, cheese, egg, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, etc.) and/or find the taste revolting.
In my case, in addition to the above, I have trouble digesting even certain kinds of fish, like tuna, but I can handle salmon, mackerel, scallops and a few others.
I believe some call that a pesco-vegan diet (no dairy, eggs or other animal-derivative foods with the exception of some fish), no?
My understanding is that certain fish is also high in vitamin B-12.
Some people are non-ideological vegans, they simply do not digest animal-based foods well (e.g. milk, yogurt, cheese, egg, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, etc.) and/or find the taste revolting.
In my case, in addition to the above, I have trouble digesting even certain kinds of fish, like tuna, but I can handle salmon, mackerel, scallops and a few others.
I believe some call that a pesco-vegan diet (no dairy, eggs or other animal-derivative foods with the exception of some fish), no?
Thanks.
If you eat fish I don't think you would use the word vegan at all. It would be pescatarian.
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There's this myth floating around that many people still believe, that vegetarian food sources are not complete proteins and thus must be combined (the assumption being meat sources are far superior).
I don't trust Huffington Post because of its political leanings. That said, this article is partially true. Animal proteins contain all 20 acids. Plant proteins contain a subset of those amino acids, but subset varies from plant to plant. Now, if you find the right combination of plant proteins, you can easily end up with all 20 amino acids. One such combination is found in many of world's cuisines: Spanish, Mexican, Central American, Caribbean, and more. I'm talking about beans and rice. When eaten together, they provide all 20 amino acids the human body needs.
The only nutrient beans and rice are missing, that normally comes from animal products, is vitamin B12. With animal products not being an option for vegans, the best way to get it is from supplements or nutritional yeast. (Vegetarians can get it from eggs.) Yeast isn't a plant, it's a fungus, so its composition is different, and it might contain vitamin B12, like animal products.
Last edited by MillennialUrbanist; 02-26-2020 at 08:20 PM..
DHA/EPA is also not available in plant foods but is readily available in meat. ALA, which IS available in plant food, can convert to DHA in the body but at a very low rate. It doesn't seem to be an issue with many long term vegans but can be with some people. There are plant based supplements for DHA derived from sea vegetables for those concerned.
I'm personally pescetarian, former long term vegan (6.5 years). Protein wasn't a huge issue for me as a vegan, though my intake was somewhat low. There are certain plant foods that are complete proteins in and of themselves, such as soy products, quinoa, chia seeds.
I don't trust Huffington Post because of its political leanings. That said, this article is partially true. Animal proteins contain all 20 acids. Plant proteins contain a subset of those amino acids, but subset varies from plant to plant. Now, if you find the right combination of plant proteins, you can easily end up with all 20 amino acids. One such combination is found in many of world's cuisines: Spanish, Mexican, Central American, Caribbean, and more. I'm talking about beans and rice. When eaten together, they provide all 20 amino acids the human body needs.
The only nutrient beans and rice are missing, that normally comes from animal products, is vitamin B12. With animal products not being an option for vegans, the best way to get it is from supplements or nutritional yeast. (Vegetarians can get it from eggs.) Yeast isn't a plant, it's a fungus, so its composition is different, and it might contain vitamin B12, like animal products.
You can also get B12 from foods such as plant milk or cereal that has been fortified with B12, and it can often be found in some plants such as mushrooms and seaweed. B12 comes from a bacteria that is found in soil, animals don't produce it, so animals raised for food are often supplemented or they get it from being exposed to manure (some cows are fed poultry waste)which generally contains high levels. They can also accumulate B12 in their gut by eating grass that has the bacteria in the soil. (though many factory farmed animals never see grass)
Vegans and vegetarians are often warned about lacking B12, but meat eaters can easily be just as deficient due to the way it is absorbed or not easily absorbed by some people.
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Last edited by ElleTea; 02-27-2020 at 10:34 AM..
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