The Vegetable proteins can provide essential amino acids in the appropriate proportion for the body. And they also lack cholesterol or contaminants that tend to concentrate in animal tissues. It is true that plants provide less protein than animal products and that these are less complete. But this ignores the ways to improve the quality of vegetable proteins that have been proven effective on five continents, or the reality of those who prefer to follow a pure vegetable or vegan diet. Know their benefits, where to get them from and how to take them

Benefits of vegetable proteins

Even today, two thirds of humanity are nourished primarily by vegetable proteins, with which they prepare dishes that respond to a wise protein combination. If these dishes were analyzed instead of isolated foods, the quality of these proteins would increase significantly. Plant foods, in addition to energy and proteins, provide vitamins, trace elements and essential fatty acids, so that They are protective against cancer, inflammatory and circulatory diseases. Vegetable proteins:

• They are less acidifying since they are accompanied by more mineral salts.
• They contain less fat and these are unsaturated (healthier).
• They do not contain cholesterol.
• They contain less purines and are better removed.
• They provide fiber.
• They are easy to digest.
• They overload less the liver and kidneys.
• They turn out ideal for diets low in calories.
• Are cheaper for the personal and planetary economy: They allow feeding more people with the same area of ​​land.

How much protein does the body need?

The WHO recommends ingest a minimum of 0.8 grams per kilo of body weight, figure that is usually rounded to 1 gram. During the growth period these proportions almost double and also increase during pregnancy and lactation.

The human body is made up of 20% proteins. The structures of all cells, tissues and organs are created from them. That is also why proteins are so important in the stages of growth of children and adolescents and for tissue renewal in adults. In addition, they fulfill important metabolic functions. Enzymes are basic proteins for numerous biochemical reactions and for the formation of antibodies.

However, proteins contain nitrogen, unlike carbohydrates, so if they are consumed in excess your metabolic waste (urea) are toxic to the body, like uric acid, responsible for various joint disorders.

Despite the efficient elimination systems available to the body, excess protein represents a certain degree of intoxication that favors tissue destruction and premature aging. For this reason It is advisable to avoid eating more protein than necessary. Excess amino acids could accumulate in the membranes of blood capillaries and cause cardiovascular ailments.

What is the biological value of proteins

The digestion of proteins takes place mainly in the stomach, where, thanks to pepsin, they are broken down into their basic elements, amino acids. There are 22 different ones. Of them, there are 8 that our body cannot produce on its own and must be provided by the diet. They are called essential amino acids and they are:

• tryptophan
• leucine
• Isoleucine
• lysine
• valine
• threonine
• Cysteine
• methionine

These amino acids must be absorbed in certain proportions so that the body can make its own proteins – similar to the letters with which a specific sentence would be written. If any of them are missing, the nutritional value of proteins is reduced, while the excess of one or more in particular is not used.

The biological value of the proteins in a food establishes the degree of similarity of the proportions of its essential amino acids with the pattern of maximum use. The food whose amino acids are most similar to those required by the human body is chicken eggs: 94% net protein utilization. They are followed by foods of animal origin: milk and derivatives (82%), meat and fish (80%), since those of plant origin usually show deficiencies in one of the eight amino acids.

However, foods are not consumed in isolation, but as part of dishes and menus where the deficiency of a food in a certain amino acid can be offset by its excess in another. So, Two plant foods can be combined and increase their final protein use.

Foods with vegetable proteins

To optimize the combinations it is necessary to detect which plant food groups contain a higher percentage of protein, as well as what are its surplus and deficiency amino acids:

Legumes

Its protein content is on average 20% dry, although in soybeans and lupins it exceeds 36%. But it must be taken into account that, when cooked, these percentages are reduced by half, since they absorb water, and even more so when they germinate.

The quality or The biological value of these proteins if taken in isolation fluctuates greatly: lentil: 30%; dried beans: 38%; chickpea: 43%; broad bean: 52%; mung bean: 57%; soybeans: 61%; tofu: 65%.

The legumes They are deficient in tryptophan (except in the case of soybeans) and in the sulfur amino acids cysteine ​​and methionine; On the other hand, they are rich in lysine and have sufficient levels of isoleucine, just the opposite of cereals, nuts and certain seeds. That is why combining in the same meal about three parts of cereals (rice, wheat, corn flour…) with one of legumes increases the degree of use of their proteins by between 30 and 50%.

Nuts and seeds

He protein content of these foods is 20%, similar to that of legumes, and its biological quality is higher on average: it ranges between 45 and 60% (peanut: 43%; pistachio and Brazil nut: 50%; sesame: 53%; cashew and sunflower seeds: 58%; pumpkin seeds: 60%). This information is very interesting since these are foods that are eaten raw or lightly toasted, which is why their protein percentage is not diluted in water, although they are usually taken in smaller doses than legumes due to their abundance of calories.

These products are characterized by their high content of tryptophan and sulfur amino acids –except peanuts, which are still a legume–, but they are deficient in lysine and isoleucine, so their ideal combination is with legumes. For example, taking sesame and chickpeas together (in equal parts) improves the quality of their respective proteins by 27%. They also benefit from the association with dairy products. Seeds and nuts are not only an excellent appetizer or part of breakfast or snack, but a source of protein that can be used to enrich any salad, filling or sauce. And they are always appetizing.

Cereals

Especially if they are whole grains and their derivatives, such as pasta, They have an amount of protein that ranges between 7.5% of rice and 14% of oat flakes. Although they may not seem like many, they are very interesting from a dietary point of view because their consumption is substantial, since they constitute the basis of the diet. Some cereals have a very high biological quality, such as brown rice (70%) and oats (65%). In wheat, barley and bulgur it amounts to 60%. In rye it is 58% and in millet, 55%.

Its deficient amino acids are lysine and isoleucine, except for wheat germ. To alleviate this deficit, they can be supplemented with legumes, brewer’s yeast and wheat germ, as well as dairy products. Bread that combines wheat and soy flour is highly recommended in that sense. Quinoa and buckwheat, which are not strictly cereals, have a high protein quality. Seitan (25% protein) is made from wheat gluten, which is prepared in a similar way to meat and can be substituted in numerous recipes.

Other foods

Brewer’s yeast, like wheat germ, is very rich in protein and in the amino acid lysine, which is why it enriches salads and completes the amino acids in cereal or pasta dishes. Pollen has a plant origin although it is obtained thanks to the work of bees. It contains between 25-35% fairly complete proteins.

How to take vegetable proteins: example menu

Providing the body with proteins is not a task that is carried out once a day, but rather a set of actions that add up throughout the day. An example of a day based on vegetable proteins could be:

• Breakfast. Soy, oat or rice drink, or soy yogurt. If you feel like it, you can add a spoonful of pollen, brewer’s yeast or wheat germ, or add these supplements to fruit juice. It is accompanied by whole wheat toast, rice pancakes or muesli made from various cereal flakes with nuts and seeds. If you spread a vegetable pate made with tofu on the toast, you will have a wide variety of vegetable foods rich in complementary proteins. Sesame butter or hummus (chickpea pate) are another option for spreading on toast.
• Midday meal. You can have a first course of salad that includes sprouted seeds (mung beans, soybeans, alfalfa, lentils, soybeans…), enriched with brewer’s yeast or wheat germ. In the second dish, carbohydrates (energy) and combined proteins will predominate. For example, it is traditional to add all types of fresh legumes to paella, such as peas, broad beans or beans of various sizes. Chopped hazelnuts, almonds and bread can also be incorporated into stews and dried bean dishes. Lentils with rice are a classic, while millet combines perfectly with chickpeas, and corn goes perfectly with beans. And the pasta? The market offers pasta enriched with soy flour or spirulina algae, which improves its proteins. You can also add pine nuts (as in pesto), and fillings made with tofu or textured soy protein, which cooks the same as minced meat and is excellent in lasagna, cannelloni and ravioli. If it is also garnished with mushrooms or spinach, the result will be delicious.
• Dinner. At night you can take advantage of it to eat more purely protein dishes, such as seitan fillets, tofu or tempe, or hamburgers or vegetable sausages (it is advisable to read the protein content on the labels, as sometimes it barely reaches 10%: little more than bread). Another option is “encarnitas”, delicious meatballs made with textured soy protein, garlic and parsley. A vegetable broth in front and a salad to accompany and dinner will be resolved. And all this without taking into account the proteins that may be contained in fruits, vegetables and tubers, whose quantities are small, but also add up.

Proteins of animal origin are not essential for health of people or the growth of children. The experience of thousands of vegetarians proves this. But it is also true that this type of nutrition, being less concentrated at the protein level due to the lack of foods of animal origin, requires…