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Written by Navneet Kaur, M.Sc. Nutrition & Dietetics

Diet

Debunking the Myth : Do Plant-Based Proteins Lack Amino Acids

With Vegetarianism and Veganism being in buzz, plant-based proteins have emerged as a new trend.

Introduction

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However, there is also a lot of buzz around plant-based proteins not being complete or lacking some amino acids.

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We need to understand that plant-based foods contain all amino acids; however, their distribution is different from that of animal foods.

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When we look at food groups, lentils have low methionine, cysteine, and tryptophan content, while grains lack lysine. 

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In this situation, as most brands/products are doing, mix two protein sources, like peas with rice, etc., so that all the essential amino acids profile gets complete, making it a complete protein. 

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Do not worry. Just mix two or more sources of protein from different food groups, and you are good to go. The ancient advice of eating dal with rice or even khichdi is built on the same concept.

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With protein requirements being in buzz but being a vegetarian or vegan, are you sceptical about plan protein being a complete protein? Do not worry; include some of these: dal, legumes like chole, chana, rajma, lobia, tofu, etc. You can also opt for a plant protein supplement, such as pea protein, brown rice protein, soy protein or a blend. 

Conclusion

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