The Significance Of Using Complementary Proteins

Complementary Proteins

In our previous post on an in-depth focus on proteins, we mentioned using complementary foods and their essence. We noted that complementing proteins is important as it enables the obtaining of all essential amino acids. In this post, we’ll delve deeper into the same subject matter, only with more examples.
The use of complementary proteins is especially important for vegetarians who majorly rely on plant sources for their proteins. Animal sources of proteins mainly constitute all essential amino acids, but plant sources may lack 1 or more essential amino acids. The consistent intake of similar proteins may translate to one not consuming essential amino acid sources. Therefore, prior to assessing the diverse examples of how to complement proteins, let us first identify the types of vegetarians to understand the significance of complementary proteins.

Types Of Vegetarians

Vegetarians generally avoid the consumption of any type of meat; however, they differ in their consumption habits when it comes to other animal sources of proteins. As such, they can be categorized  as follows:
Lacto-vegetarians -Exclude all other sources of animal sources of proteins except for milk and other dairy products.
Ovo-vegetarians-Eliminate all other animal sources of proteins with the exception of eggs.
Lacto-Ovo vegetarians-Exclude all other animal protein sources except for eggs, milk, and dairy products.
Pesco-vegetarians -Avoid the intake of all other animal sources of proteins apart from fish.
Vegans-Completely eliminate all sources of animal proteins.
 
You note that all other vegetarians excluding vegans can obtain their essential amino acids from animal sources of protein, the vegans however solely rely on plant sources for proteins. Since most plant sources lack 1 or more essential amino acids, the use of complementary proteins becomes of utmost relevance. 

The Significance Of Complementing Proteins

The use of complementary proteins is the most effective method to obtain all essential amino acids. When you combine 2 or more incomplete proteins (lack 1 or more essential amino acids), you can obtain all essential amino acids. This is what is known as complementing proteins. The limiting amino acids (amino acids in the least supply in a protein food) from 1 incomplete protein can be supplemented by other foods that may also be incomplete proteins. For example:
 

Foods

Limiting amino acid

Grains

Lysine, threonine

Maize

Lysine, tryptophan

Beans

Methionine

Vegetables

Methionine

Seeds/Nuts

Lysine

 

You note that specific proteins, normally plant protein sources, have limiting amino acids. For example, the beans lack methionine while the grains lack lysine and threonine. But when you combine the beans with grains, you obtain all the essential amino acids because what lacks in the beans(methionine) is found in the grains, while what lacks in the grains (lysine and threonine) is contained in the beans.

However, this does not imply that you must ingest the complementary proteins in each meal. Instead, you can have nuts for a snack and consume lentils in any other meal during that day. You will still be complementing your proteins.

You can complement proteins in the following ways:

  • Grains with legumes, e.g. rice and black beans or lentils
  •  Maize and beans  
  • Bread and peanut butter

In conclusion, the use of complementary foods is a significant approach to ensuring you meet all the essential amino acids in a day. Vegetarians, particularly vegans can also obtain all necessary amino acids through complementing proteins.

 

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