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Protein is a “macronutrient,” which means that the body needs relatively large amounts of it.

we say animal-based proteins are “easy” is because they contain what’s known as “complete protein”: a collection of all the necessary amino acids. Plant-based proteins, on the other hand, are called “incomplete” because they don’t have all nine. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t good or worth eating! It is entirely possible to get all your amino acids from plant-based sources. You just have to pay attention to what’s called protein complementation , which is the process of consuming several foods that, together, make up a complete protein. Rice and beans is a classic example of protein complementation, and peanut butter on whole wheat bread is another. Separately, the individual parts are incomplete, but together they make complete proteins. (See the vegetarian/vegan section in chapter 2 for more on this topic.)

The Basics of Food and Nutrition

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