I’m going to start by quoting some helpful information concerning protein from the MORE-WITH-LESS COOKBOOK, by Doris Janzen Longacre. I appreciate the way she has brought this technical information down to where ordinary people can understand it. She writes:
“Twenty amino acids make up the proteins our bodies use. Of these twenty, eight must come directly from the food we eat. These eight are called the essential amino acids. The rest our bodies can synthesize.
“All the essential amino acids must be present simultaneously and in proper proportions for our bodies to utilize them. If one is lacking, even temporarily, the body’s ability to use protein will fall accordingly.
“Complete protein foods contain all eight essential amino acids. Animal products -- eggs, milk, and meat -- provide all eight amino acids in the proportions our bodies require. Eggs most nearly match the ideal pattern. Milk is a close second, and meats follow. Soybeans and whole rice come close to meats in protein quality. Other grains, the legumes, seeds, and nuts are also good sources of protein, but each lacks one or more of the essential amino acids.”
And so these good, but not-quite-good-enough-on-their-own protein foods can be combined to make great sources of protein. For complementary protein, remember this simple formula: Milk products should always be served with grains; legumes should always be served with grains.
Here are some examples of the milk-grain combinations:
Cereal with milk
Grilled-cheese sandwiches
Macaroni & cheese
Lasagna
Pizza
Corn chowder (or any milk-based soup) served with bread or muffins
Greek spinach pie
And here are some examples of legume-grain combinations:
Peanut butter sandwiches
Lentil or split-pea soup with cornbread (or any other bread)
Baked beans with brown bread or cornbread
Lentil-based taco filling in taco shells
Pinto beans with rice
No doubt you will think of more of your favorite foods that actually fall into the category of complementary protein. Later this week I’ll try and share some of our favorite recipes for this type of main course. In the meantime, I hope that this information, elementary as it is, may be a help to someone out there!
Just wanted to let you know that I've been enjoying your posts. This is very interesting and helpful information....thanks for taking the time to share it all with us! (o:
ReplyDeleteMrs. T. This is the first time this has made sense to me. Thank you for taking the time to post this information. I will look forward to more of your recipes.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed day,
Patty
Thamks for sharing this! I think I'll print it out for future reference. Even after 2 foods classes in college, this was something I just didn't "get." Keep the great posts coming!! :)
ReplyDeleteHi everyone!!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have all found the information helpful. Once you know that simple formula, you can easily remember what sorts of foods to combine for complete protein. It just comes naturally after awhile. I'll try and post some main-dish recipes soon.
God bless,
Mrs.T
This is off topic, but I am writing to let you know that there is a 48 hour prayer chain started for Susan Godfrey (you are on her blog's list of friends). Please spread the word so we can cover this family in prayer.
ReplyDeleteIn Him,
Amy
I saw you were on Susan's friend's list and I also wanted to let you know that we are putting together a special encouragement box for the Godfreys. More information is here
ReplyDeleteThank you for helping to uphold this dear family.
Crystal
http://www.BiblicalWomanhood.com
Thank you, Amy and Crystal, for bringing this to my attention. I am definitely committing to pray for the Godfrey family during this time -- and in fact am praying for them now. I'll be sending something to Crystal for the encouragement box, too.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to encourage any of my readers to check out these links and to uphold the Godfreys in prayer during this incredibly difficult time.
God bless,
Mrs.T
What about nuts? where does nuts fit in?
ReplyDeleteHello Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my kitchen table! As I said, I’m far from being an expert on this subject, but I’ll try to share what I know.
Nuts and seeds *are* a high-quality protein source, but from what I’ve read they either don’t make up a complete protein on their own or, if they come close to doing so, you would be consuming more fat and calories than you might like to, in order to get most of your protein from nuts and seeds.
To answer your question more fully, I turned to one of my old favorite books on nutrition -- Jane Brody’s Good Food Book. I highly recommend it! Here’s what she has to say:
“Nuts and seeds are on a par with dried beans and peas as having more protein than any other vegetable foods (only soybeans have more). And when nuts and seeds are combined with beans or grains, the result can be a nutritionally complete protein as good as that from any animal source. But, unlike grains and beans, nuts and seeds provide protein at a high-calorie price, because they are very high in fat, albeit unsaturated fat that does not harm blood vessels.”
“The body can actually make better use of the protein in nuts and seeds than the protein in most beans because nuts and seeds have a better balance of essential amino acids. And when nuts or seeds are combined with other protein-containing plant foods, such as the bread in a peanut-butter sandwich, the result is complete protein comparable to that in a steak.”
Hope this helps answer your question!
God bless,
Mrs.T
I needed the complementary protein info in a hurry - as in I'm preparing a peanut butter sand for myself (p.b. and whole grain thin bread), and needed to know if I MUST drink milk with it for all the amino acids, or no.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the quick, concise, and surprising answer. Because the c.b. author's essay on the subject is so common-sense, I've just purchased three used copies of her book for myself and two great friends. Thanks for straight info without a lot of mystique.
B.I.M.L.I.E.
i am still confused with what are Complementary proteins :(
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI assume you are a different Anonymous than the previous commenter.
Complementary proteins are foods that, when you serve them together, make up the same high quality protein as meat, cheese, etc.
For complementary protein, remember this simple formula: Milk products should always be served with grains; legumes should always be served with grains.
Here are some examples of the milk-grain combinations:
Cereal with milk
Grilled-cheese sandwiches
Macaroni & cheese
Lasagna
Pizza
Corn chowder (or any milk-based soup) served with bread or muffins
Greek spinach pie
And here are some examples of legume-grain combinations:
Peanut butter sandwiches
Lentil or split-pea soup with cornbread (or any other bread)
Baked beans with brown bread or cornbread
Lentil-based taco filling in taco shells
Pinto beans with rice
Hope this helps!
Mrs.T
From the science, it seems that there would be a ratio of legumes to grains. Does this vary with each combination? how does one figure how much say oatmeal to aduki beans?
ReplyDelete