Speaker #0Hello everyone, and welcome to The Loon's Guide, the guide to the ideal diet for humankind. In this podcast, we're going to discuss the topic of protein complementarity. This concept, which has been popularized since the 1970s and was especially used in the context of vegetarian and vegan diets, continues to spark a lot of debate as it creates confusion around the existence of so-called complete and incomplete proteins. leading to controversy about the supposed deficiencies that a plant-based diet might cause. To really understand this concept and learn how to use it beyond the controversies, you first need to know that proteins are made up of two main groups, as we already discussed in the podcast dedicated to proteins. There are essential amino acids, meaning the body cannot synthesize them on its own and they must be provided through the diet. there are eight essential amino acids in total and then there are the other 10 to 12 amino acids known as non-essential amino acids when choosing to get your protein from a plant-based diet only you logically need to make sure that every day or at least within two to three days your diet includes all eight essential amino acids in fact according to this concept One of the pitfalls of veganism is choosing meals that are certainly very healthy, but sometimes incomplete in terms of protein intake, not in terms of quantity, but in terms of quality, meaning that we might not be providing our bodies with all of the so-called essential amino acids needed for proper functioning. Moreover, protein intake must not only be comprehensive in terms of essential amino acids, but it also needs to occur within a relatively short time frame. Because, as a reminder, the body cannot store proteins for later use. They are only stored as structural components of our body, in the form of muscles, nails, and so on. Thus, meat and eggs are a source of complete proteins. On the other hand, nuts and beans are not. In most cases, plant-based proteins taken individually do not contain all the essential amino acids. In other words, this theory states that if you choose to follow a plant-based diet, you not only need to consume all the essential amino acids, but you should also do so as much as possible within the same day. To do this, you would either need to supplement meals that are mostly plant-based with some animal-based foods, or combine several plant foods that are considered quote-unquote incomplete in order to get all the essential amino acids within the same day. Additionally, you can also eat plant-based foods that are sources of complete proteins. These do exist, just be careful not to overdo it or you might end up with too limited a range of foods. This theory of protein complementarity has been largely dismissed by some scientists and by many vegetarians, who saw the popularization of this concept as reinforcing the myth that a vegetarian diet is dangerous, deficient, or complicated. It has since been proven that within a vegetarian or vegan diet, the variety of plant-based foods generally allows for the consumption of nearly all amino acids in sufficient quantities. Thus, the author who originally proposed this concept in 1979 eventually retracted her theory in a later edition of her book, Diet for a Small Planet. I quote, With three important exceptions, there is very little risk of protein deficiency when eating plant-based foods. The exceptions are diets that rely heavily on fruit, certain tubers such as sweet potatoes or cassava, or junk food like refined flours, sugars, and fats. Fortunately, relatively few people in the world try to survive on diets where these foods are the only source of calories. And the author continues, In all other diets, if a person gets enough calories, they are practically certain to get enough protein. However, even though the idea of timing and the absolute necessity of combining several plant proteins within the same day has sparked controversy to the point of being challenged by the scientific community, the approach of including different plant sources in order to consume the full chain of amino acids in sufficient quantity could, in fact, help diversify one's diet and, at the same time, ensure you get the maximum amount of amino acids in your meals. which certainly doesn't hurt. It's a concept that's worth discussing, if only to learn how to combine these different plant sources. In fact, around the world and in various ancient or modern civilizations, some peoples have often instinctively combined grains and legumes in the same meal, for example, in the absence of animal proteins, thus allowing them to consume all the essential amino acids. Let's first look at which plant foods are made up of complete plant proteins. Because some plants contain absolutely complete proteins, and eating them would help avoid concerns about deficiencies in essential amino acids. Among these plants, in the legume category, we find soy, tofu, tempeh, and miso. These foods are currently the subject of controversy. We'll come back to this later in the guide. Among grains, there are quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and amaranth. In the seed family, we especially find hemp seeds. And finally, among green vegetables, we have kale and spinach. So, which plants are made up of incomplete proteins? First of all, Most legumes contain 7 out of the 8 essential amino acids. They are generally lacking in methionine, the 8th essential amino acid. Among these legumes are peanuts, peas, beans, lima beans, lentils, and mung beans. Next, most cereals also contain 7 out of the 8 essential amino acids, but they are deficient in lysine. These cereals include corn, wheat, barley, spelt, oats, millet, rice, flowers, and so on. Finally, most nuts are deficient in lysine, and some are also lacking in methionine and cysteine. Among these nuts, we find walnuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, and seeds, which are, for their part, deficient in lysine. Among the seeds that are deficient in lysine, there are chia seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and so on. So, which foods should be combined to obtain all the essential amino acids? Cereals, nuts, and seeds are generally deficient in lysine, while legumes are generally deficient in methionine. So, You just need to eat all of them together in the same day, or at least over the course of two days, to get all the essential amino acids. Based on the lists that have already been provided, you can combine several nutrients to cover all your needs. Here are also some combination ideas that have proven themselves throughout the world's culinary history. First of all, you can pair a cereal product with a legume. For example, combine wheat with chickpeas, as found in North African couscous or Middle Eastern falafel. Ah, serving corn with black beans is a common combination in Mexican cuisine. Rice with lentils is found in Indian cuisine or in Lebanese mojadara, or rice with beans as seen in Brazilian cuisine. You can also combine legumes with nuts or seeds, so lentils with nuts. or for example chickpeas with ground sesame seeds which typically gives you hummus which is a chickpea puree with tahini every time you combine legumes such as beans or lentils with seeds grains or nuts like wheat rice or nuts you automatically get a complete protein in fact this kind of combination is found in certain traditional cuisines such as Asian, Indian, her Mediterranean cuisine. At worst, this will be a way to reassure yourself about possible deficiencies, and at best, to eat plant-based meals that are as diverse and creative as possible. Now that proteins and how to consume them hold no more secrets for you, how about we tackle the outcasts of 20th century nutrition, namely fats? That will be the topic of the next podcast in the Blueness Nutrition Guide. See you very soon!
