Are Plant Proteins Adequate?

 

Are Plant Proteins Adequate?

There is a misconception that vegetarians are always starved for proteins and have no option but to start eating non-vegetarian food or protein supplements to meet their daily protein requirement. The ideal protein intake for a healthy adult is around 0.8 to 1 gm per Kg body weight. Most of us do not reach this requirement; especially vegetarians. The reason being there is no conscious effort to balance our meals. Proteins add a satiety factor to our meals. Vegetarians, particularly, tend to eat extra carbs, and worse, eat fried foods and sweets, to complete their meals and feel satiated. It’s also a psychological feel-good way of making up for not eating non-vegetarian food, most of them admit.

Protein and Amino Acids

What you actually need from protein are the amino acids (building blocks of proteins). You need 20 different ones. Your body makes some of them, but you must get 9 from your diet. These are called essential amino acids.

Animal proteins are complete proteins. That means they contain all the (9) essential amino acids. Plant proteins are often, but not always, incomplete sources of protein, Examples of complete plant proteins are Quinoa, Buckwheat, Amaranth (Rajgira) and Soya.

 

There is a wide choice of protein foods for vegetarians:

• Soya and its products - Tofu, Edamame, Tempeh
• Seeds – Chia, Garden Cress (Aliv), Sesame, Sunflower, Pumpkin, Muskmelon and Watermelon
• The advantage of Garden Cress is its Low fat and high Protein content
• Different Nuts, Coconut, Foxnut (Makhana), Barley, Dals and Legumes, Dairy products
• Paneer (Cottage Cheese) – besides being a high protein food, it has good amount of calcium
• Curd - good source of easy to digest protein
• Millets – have high protein content and usable calcium
• Sattu (Roasted Bengal gram flour) – has 20 to 25 gm protein per 100 gm
• Quinoa, Amaranth, Teff and Buckwheat are complete proteins and also Gluten free
• Brewer’s yeast - Brewer's yeast is also a good source of protein. It contains approximately 16 g of protein per 30 g of powdered yeast
• Mushrooms - Vegetarian favourite when it comes to alternative sources of protein
• Baby corn – an advantage is that it has low fat and high protein content
• Moringa - rich in a large number of amino acids

 Lower Risk of Diseases

There are pros and cons to both plant and animal proteins. But diets that rely mostly on plants for protein have been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, cancers and early death. 

Almost all plant-based protein sources are lower in fat and calories than animal protein. So naturally, swapping animal protein for plant-based protein will reduce your overall calorie intake. It also contains a lot of fibre, keeping you fuller for longer. In contrast, animal protein contains no fibre. Besides, plants are rich in antioxidants so essential for our overall well-being.

 Mix and Match

So although most plant proteins are incomplete, you can get all the essential amino acids you need from plant foods, as long as you eat a variety of them. The key is - Mix and Match