Complete Protein Myth

Vegan_Chick
Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been seeing a lot of articles on complete proteins lately. The woman, Frances Moore Lappé, is behind the myth as she wrote about it in 1971. But she later rescinded this and said she was wrong and there is NO NEED for complete proteins. Here is an article about it. Or look other resources up.

I am surprised on how many people STILL believe this when the woman herself claims it is wrong.

http://www.forksoverknives.com/the-myth-of-complementary-protein/

EDIT: Here is another great article if you are worried about your amino acids and how to get ALL of them with a plant based diet.
http://www.strongvegan.net/the-complete-protein-myth.html

Replies

  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
    Someone just mentioned complete proteins to me the other day. This is good news, though, because I love to eat lentils, and it would be difficult to track protein if the lentil protein somehow didn't count, or only counted when eaten with rice or whatever. Can you imagine that nightmare?
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
    The thought of trying to keep track of you amino acids sounds like a total nightmare! I am so glad it is a myth and as long as you eat a well balanced diet, you will get everything you need. Protein is so easy to get and I think people do not realize that. Did you know a whole head of romaine lettuce has 8 grams of protein? Protein is everywhere!

    If you don't believe, me, look at the data below

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2475/2
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    The thought of trying to keep track of you amino acids sounds like a total nightmare! I am so glad it is a myth and as long as you eat a well balanced diet, you will get everything you need. Protein is so easy to get and I think people do not realize that. Did you know a whole head of romaine lettuce has 8 grams of protein? Protein is everywhere!

    If you don't believe, me, look at the data below

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2475/2

    That is a lot of lettuce you have to eat to get only 8 grams.
    I can drink a glass of milk 8 .oz and get 11 grams.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    As far as complete/incomplete proteins go....

    I think the only one I can think of would be those found in nuts.
    They do not have a complete Amino make up for protein.

    That being said, I would not look to nuts for my primary source of protein....but with all the various foods available....it is fairly easy to get your protein in for the day
  • Slacker16
    Slacker16 Posts: 1,184 Member
    Any articles about this from non-ideological websites?

    Incidentally, I think dried peas and some beans have all essential amino-acids (although not in the ideal proportions) and would probably be better protein sources than lettuce. Just saying.
  • kthulhu69
    kthulhu69 Posts: 27 Member
    There are twenty amino acids the body can use to form proteins. Nine of them cannot be produced by the body. Meat and eggs, soy, and quinoa can provide those nine. Other vegetables in various combinations can provide the missing nine, but not from one source. You don't need all nine in one sitting, just overall throughout your day.
  • iPlatano
    iPlatano Posts: 487 Member
    White rice + beans = Complete protein.
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
    I'm not saying to eat a head of lettuce, I'm just proving a point that even lettuce has protein in it. Almost all plants have some sort of protein and if you eat a variety each day, you are good to go.
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
    Frances Moore Lappe, the author of Diet For a Small Planet (the woman who coined the complete protein) only stated her opinion about complete proteins and it was just a theory. In her revised book 20th edition of Diet for a Small Planet, pages 168-180, she brings up her theory and states she does not believe that anymore. Go check out her book. But you will not find any scientific studies since it was her opinion in the first place
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
    There are twenty amino acids the body can use to form proteins. Nine of them cannot be produced by the body. Meat and eggs, soy, and quinoa can provide those nine. Other vegetables in various combinations can provide the missing nine, but not from one source. You don't need all nine in one sitting, just overall throughout your day.

    So this KFC DoubleDown counts, right? :laugh:

    I just want to eat lentils and have the protein grams count as protein without having to worry about adding things to it.

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