Complete Protein Combinations for Vegans (2024)

If you're a vegan, or strict vegetarian, you maywant to pay closer attention to the types of protein sources you consume because most plant-based foods are incomplete proteins.This means they don't contain all the amino acids your body needs. Beef, chicken, fish, dairy, and other animal products, on the other hand, contain all the essential amino acids to be considered complete proteins.

Being incomplete doesn't mean plant-based foods are low in protein. You can get plenty of protein from plants, but almost every plant-based food is low in one or more essential amino acids that your body needs to thrive.

How much of a problem is this and what can a vegan do?

As long as you eat the right complementary proteins every day you'll be just fine. The combination ofdifferent protein sourceswill ultimately ensure you get an ample supply of all the amino acids every day. There are also several nearly complete protein sources for vegans or vegetarians that you can incorporate into your diet.

Understanding Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Your body needs them to make the protein structures that build and maintain the tissues in your body.

There are many different amino acids; they all have similar structures but are differentiated by their side chains. All proteins, no matter what food they come from, are made up of amino acids. But the number and order of the amino acids that make up a cow's rump or a navy bean are different from the ones that make up your body parts.

When you eat round steak or baked beans (or anything that contains any protein at all, even a tiny amount), your digestive system breaks it down into amino acids that are absorbed into your bloodstream. From there, the amino acids are used to build the proteins that make up your muscles, organs and lots of other tissues.

Essential Amino Acids

Not all amino acids are essential. Your body can make many amino acids from the leftover bits of old amino acids and a few other raw materials found in the body, but there are some amino acids that the human body can't manufacture. These amino acids are called the essential amino acids because you have to consume them.

These are the essential amino acids:

• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Valine

Animal proteins all contain every single one of these essential amino acids, so they're called complete proteins. If you're an ovo-lacto-vegetarian (you eat eggs and dairy products), you can getcomplete proteins from those foods.

Plant proteins are a little different. Each plant that you eat has a different amino acid profile. For example, grains and cereals are extremely low in lysine. So low that they can't even be considered a source of lysine. If you only eat grains and cereals, you won't get enough lysine, and that's bad.

However, legumes, such as peanuts, peas, dry beans, and lentils, contain a lot of lysine. On the flip side, legumes aren't good sources of tryptophan, methionine,and cystine, but those amino acids are found in grains and cereals. As long as you eat some grains and some legumes, you'll get some of each essential amino acid.

The Importance of Protein for Vegans

Our bodies need protein to keep our muscles, skin, organs, and tissues healthy. They are responsible for tissue repair and building. Protein is made of amino acids, some of which can be made by the body, but essential amino acids must be taken in through the diet.

Those who eat meat and dairy get complete amino acids. If you are vegan, you can get plenty of protein sources from foods like nuts, grains, and seeds. You just need to be aware of incorporating the right type of protein sources to make sure you are getting complete amino acids.

As far as how much protein you should be eating each day, experts recommend that 10 to 35% of your daily calories should be from protein. Those who are pregnant or nursing will need additional protein.

If you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, you will notice weak nails and hair, loss of muscle mass, increased risk of bone fractures, and a weaker immune system.

Complementary Protein Options

You don't need to eat complementary proteins together at every meal. As long as you get a variety of proteins throughout the day, you'll get ample amounts of each amino acid. But if you're interested, here are some ways to combine your complementary proteins.

Grains and Legumes

• Bean soup and crackers
• Black beans and rice
• Pasta and peas
• Whole wheat bread and peanut butter

Nuts and Seeds Plus Legumes

• Hummus (chickpeas and tahini)
• Lentils and almonds
• Roasted nuts, seeds, and peanuts

Plant-Based Complete Proteins

In addition to complementary protein combinations, there are also foods that are complete or nearly complete proteins that aren't animal-based. For example, soy is one plant protein that contains all the essential amino acids. It's also a good source ofhealthy fatsand phytochemicals (plant chemicals that may be good for you). It's usually served as tempeh or tofu, and soy milk is a popular replacement for milk.

Complete or Nearly Complete Proteins

Here is a list of other complete or nearly complete proteins to incorporate into your diet.

• Edamame is another easy source of soy protein.
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Hemp seed
• Chia
• Buckwheat
• Spirulina