Many people follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or avoid red meat either for ethical reasons or in the belief that such a diet is healthier.
I, myself, have been eating less and less animal proteins over the last few years but still have the occasional dish here and there. So I am still very much a ‘flexitarian’ with about 90% of the time vegan.
The one question everyone asks me is “Where do you get your protein?”
In a nutshell, you can get the answer HERE.
Many people imagine that a plant-based diet cannot fulfill our nutritional needs of getting enough nutrients such as protein and iron. While it is true that animal proteins are COMPLETE proteins, we can certainly obtain all the protein we need if we know how to combine our food sources.
To understand what I mean but food combining, let’s step back a bit and look at what protein is.
Protein makes up about 20% of our body weight and is a primary component of our muscles, hair, nails, skin, eyes, and our internal organs, especially the heart muscle and brain.
Proteins are made up of 22 naturally occurring amino acids (AA). Of those 22, 9 of them are essential because our bodies can not make them, so we need to obtain them from our diet.
These are:
- isoleucine
- leucine
- lysine
- methionine
- phenylalanine
- threonine
- tryptophan
- valine
- histidine (originally shown to be essential to infants but studies show that it is also essential for adults)
Animal proteins such as beef, chicken, and eggs are all COMPLETE proteins, which mean they contain all the essential AA.
As a vegan or vegetarian, there are many ways to obtain complete proteins from your meals.
These are some non-animal COMPLETE proteins:
- tofu/soy/edamame
- chia seeds
- hemp seeds
- quinoa
- peanuts
- buckwheat
- ezekiel bread
- spirulina
That means they do not need to be eaten with other foods in order for you to get the complete essential AA.
Many other foods contain plenty of protein but may be lacking one or two, or very low in some AA. That’s when food combining comes in, putting together a food low in one AA, and another food that is abundant in that AA.
Here are some delicious FOOD COMBINING examples:
- brown rice and beans
- tortilla or wrap filled with refried beans
- peanut butter sandwich
- lentil soup with a whole grain bread roll
- stir-fried tofu with vegetables and rice
- tofu burger in a roll
- quorn
- hummus and pita
and of course, my beloved
CanPrev’s CORE
A complete protein. Each serving has 18g of easily digested, plant based proteins as well as 8-9 servings of greens
It is loaded with vitamins and minerals which is why it is like taking a daily multivitamin, but in a more delicious form!
I was never into supplements and protein powders, but I am a huge believer in this one because I see results, it makes me feel great, and it is created by naturopaths who ensure that the contents are within safe and therapeutic dosages.
In essence, you can achieve protein complementation by combining plant foods from two or more of the following categories:
- pulses: beans, lentils, and peas (low in tryptophan, methionine)
- grains: bread, pasta, rice, oats, rye (low in lysine, isoleucine)
- nuts and seeds: peanuts, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds (low in lycine, isoleucine)
- quorn and soya product: soya milk, tofu, tempeh, seitan. (complete)
A note on GAS:
Another concern with legumes, especially beans, is that in many people they cause increased intestinal gas, which leads to burping, flatulence, or abdominal discomfort. This is caused mainly by the oligosaccharides in the beans fermenting in the lower intestine.
This is why we soak the beans over night and discard the water before adding new water to boil, to help leach out some of their fermenting properties.
Also, combining, such beans as mung, adzuki, lentil, or black with such grains as rice or millet in a 1:3 (bean:grain) ratio will provide low gas but good fuel as a complete protein.
Another option is to consume more sprouts. Many grains and seeds can be sprouted. Sprouts contain a wealth of nutrients because it is the first beginnings of a new plant. Protein content increases somewhere between 15-30%. Chlorophyll and fiber content also increases. Sprouts are living foods and contain active enzymes that help digestion and assimilation. With sprouting, most of the B vitamins are greatly increased, some more than tenfold!
Another plus is that sprouts are lower in calories!
Many sprouts can be purchased in grocery stores such as alfalfa, mung bean sprouts, quinoa, and lentils.
I hope this post has been helpful and has opened your eyes to a world of new food options! It totally has for me.
references: Staying Healthy with Nutrition – Elson M.Hass
Sports Nutrition – Anita Bean
