Blog

Aug 22, 2023

Can I get complete protein from plant sources?

The truth about plant protein What comes to your mind when the word protein is mentioned? Meat and muscles, right? High protein equates to consuming meat, or so we all thought. Did you know that plant

The truth about plant protein

What comes to your mind when the word protein is mentioned? Meat and muscles, right? High protein equates to consuming meat, or so we all thought. Did you know that plant food also contains protein? Arguably, plant protein sources may not be considered of high biologic value protein compared to animal meat by many meat eaters. This way of thinking, however, is old school.

“Plant food was once believed to be of low quality because it does not contain all the nine essential amino acids. Some plant sources may offer less than others. But there is no such thing as incomplete plant protein. Our body is intelligent. It is responsible for assembling and disassembling amino acids that our body needs for growth and recovery. All vegetables, grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds contain protein. Meeting your recommended daily caloric need from a variety of plant food assures you are getting enough and all the essential amino acids that your body needs,” explained Consuelo Domingo, a Philippine-registered nutritionist-dietitian and plantrician member of the Plantrician Project USA.

High biologic value protein means that the protein source contains all essential and non-essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 amino acids, nine of which are essential and cannot be naturally produced in the body. Therefore, these essential amino acids must be derived from food. These are the nine essential amino acids—histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

Getting adequate protein is vital to our existence. Protein helps repair or build body tissues and muscle mass. It maintains the pH (acidity and alkalinity of the body) and fluid balance. It builds enzymes that are important for digestion, energy production, metabolism, and muscle contraction. It also prevents one from bleeding. Protein is also used to make hormones that act as messengers in the body. This macronutrient ensures we have healthy skin, hair, nails—in addition to strong bones, tendons, and ligaments for our movement. It also helps our body organs like the lungs and uterus, as well as the blood vessels in stretching and contracting. Protein transports and stores nutrients in the body. In fact, the hemoglobin in the blood carries oxygen to the cells. Protein also plays a huge role in balancing our immune system to help us fight diseases, especially infection and cancer.

Lastly, we can derive energy from protein secondary to carbohydrates and fat.

Given that protein is vital to our existence, should we load up on protein and eat a lot of meat? I would advise against that because too much protein can damage your kidneys and other organs. It can make your uric acid level shoot up, causing gouty arthritis. It can also make your blood cholesterol and triglycerides increase, causing heart diseases. High intake of meat is a high risk for some cancers, especially colon cancer. Recent studies have also proven that diabetes is linked to high meat intake as a result of inflammation that’s damaging the beta cells in the pancreas, affecting insulin that regulates blood sugar level.

“One common question I get from people is where they can get good quality protein if they aim to transition into a more plant-predominant diet. It is a myth that in order to get enough protein you need to eat animal meat and animal-based products like dairy. More is not necessarily better. An average person only needs 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Any excess is stored as fat in the body or excreted,” Domingo adds.

Domingo recommends replacing meat with soy protein: “Soy is a perfect and complete protein. It has all the essential amino acids our body needs. It is two times better than meat, three times better than egg, and 12 times better than milk.”

If you plan to transition into a predominantly plant based way of eating or becoming a vegetarian or vegan, here are some high protein sources: Quinoa, adlai, wild rice, oats, chia seeds, chickpeas, soy and soy products, beans, lentils, seeds, nuts, and nut butters. All vegetables also contain protein.

Be plant-powered as you become predominantly plant-based. Worry no more as you will be able to get all the essential amino acids by eating a variety of plant food every meal, every day.

[email protected]