You may have heard that vegetarian and vegan diets they do not contain enough protein or that vegetable proteins are not as complete as those in meat. And there are many doubts about amino acids and proteins. Actually, it’s your body that “manufactures” the proteins it needs with amino acids that food provides, and vegetables contain all the essentials.
But to understand why amino acids are so important, you must first understand what proteins are and what they are for. In fact, the word protein comes from the Greek proteinswhich means “the first thing” or “the most important thing.”
Proteins serve to form and repair cellular structures: muscles, bones, skin, the different types of tissues that make up the organs, etc. In addition, they fulfill other essential functions, such as the production of hormones, immune antibodies and enzymes. Proteins are also a source of energy in case of carbohydrate and fat deficiency.
Therefore, to enjoy health it is essential that the body be able to manufacture proteins, made up of long chains of hundreds or thousands of amino acids.
What are and what are essential amino acids?
The proteins in our body wear out and must be replaced frequently. To synthesize new proteins, our body needs twenty amino acidsof which eight are essential (nine in children)that is, we need to ingest them with the diet since our body does not synthesize them.
The essential amino acids are: histidine (in children), tryptophan, valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, threonine, methionine and lysine.
The body cannot use the proteins in food as we eat them: it first has to break them down to isolate essential amino acidswhich will then be recombined in the cells’ ribosomes to create our own proteinsfollowing the instructions of our genes.
How many grams of protein per day do we need?
The amount of protein we need varies depending on our age, gender, weight, physical activity level, and other factors.
Daily recommendations for sedentary adults range between 0.8 and 1.2 g per kilogram of weight body, which means that a person weighing 70 kilos would need between 56 and 84 g of protein per day.
However, a healthy adult who plays sports may require up to 2.5 g (which means 175 g for a 70 kg person.)
What vegetables contain essential amino acids?
Many people think that proteins are only obtained from foods of animal origin, such as different types of meat and fish or eggs, but the truth is that There are a wide variety of excellent sources of plant proteins:
- Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas, peanuts, lupins and soybeans (edamame, tofu, tempeh, textured soybeans). The protein content of dried grains is above 20 percent. Surprise, this proportion is equal to or exceeds that of meat and fish and doubles that of eggs!
- Cereals and pseudocereals, such as quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, rye, amaranth and oats. The percentage of protein in the dry product is around 10-15 percent.
- Seeds such as chia, flax, hemp, sunflower and sesame contain around 15-20 percent.
- seitanmade with wheat flour, is 25 percent protein.
Nor can they be ruled out vegetables (cabbage, artichokes, onion, garlic, etc.), whose contribution is 2-3 g per 100 g of food. In a balanced diet, we all need to combine a variety of all these foods; This is how the necessary amino acids are obtained.
How to get a good supply of amino acids in the diet?
Some plant foods stand out for providing the essential amino acids in adequate proportions so that the body can make the most of them.
It is the case of the quinoa, with 15 percent dry protein. It also has carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, which makes it an ideal food. In fact, NASA uses it to make concentrated food formulas for astronauts.
They also contain all essential amino acids in good proportions pistachiosthe soythe chickpeas and the beer yeast.
Other plant foods may be deficient in some essential amino acid, but that does not mean that, if we are vegan or vegetarian, in the same meal we have to worry about combining foods in a certain way.
carrying a varied diet throughout the day We will obtain the essential amino acids necessary to synthesize our proteins. This is enough to obtain a complete supply of amino acids with which to form new proteins.
As the American Dietetic Association states, Vegetable proteins can provide adequate amounts of essential and non-essential amino acidsit is not necessary to consume complementary proteins in the same meal.
essential amino acids: the Harvard trick
To get the set of amino acids you need, there is nothing like combine basic foods with some very dense complements in proteins and nutrients.
- Chickpeas: Cooked, they provide 9 g/100 g of protein with all the essential amino acids, along with fiber, carbohydrates, B vitamins, iron and zinc.
- Lupins: They constitute a delicious Mediterranean appetizer with a protein content of 16%. They are very dense in vitamins and minerals.
- Nutritional yeast: A 10 g scoop provides no less than 5 g of protein and high amounts of B vitamins and minerals.
- Quinoa: It is a gluten-free pseudocereal that contains all the essential amino acids and a lot of fiber. Cooked, it contains 4% protein.
- Hemp: A 15 g scoop, which you can crush and add to salads, offers you 5 g of protein with all the essential amino acids, fiber and omega-3s.
Additionally, to ensure you get all the amino acids you need, it is recommended include protein foods in each of the three meals of the day.
On the other hand, the plant sources of amino acids They are also rich in other essential nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins and minerals, antioxidant compounds, and healthy fatty acids.
To combine them in the appropriate amount, we can follow the recommendations based on the so-called harvard platea proposal from Harvard University that can be adapted to vegetarian and vegan diets.
- Vegetables and fruits They take up half the plate (ideally a variety of different colors, preferably seasonal, local and eco).
- Legumes (at least 100g), nuts and seeds They take up a quarter of the plate.
- Whole grains (100 g) fill the remaining quarter. Also add extra virgin olive oil, aromatics and spices.
essential amino acids of plant origin: why choose them
The plant sources of amino acids have important advantages compared to meat:
- Reduce the risk of colon cancerthanks to fiber and antioxidant nutrients.
- They are easier to digest and they do not put too much strain on the kidneys and liver.
- They reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, plant foods rich in amino acids make it easier for the body to build its own proteins, because they also contain fiber and potassium.
- Fiber promotes good state of the intestinal microbiotaand this, that of the intestinal wall, which allows good assimilation of amino acids and other nutrients necessary for the formation of proteins by the body.
- He potassium It acts as a cofactor in several enzymes that facilitate the joining of amino acids to form body proteins.
Instead, the foods of animal origin they have a excess sodium and a potassium deficiency. Are from difficult digestion and its metabolization and assimilation creates many waste products, such as urea, creatinine and uric acid, which the kidneys have to eliminate by overexerting themselves.
In addition, meat is usually consumed fried or barbecued, which adds toxic products, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic amines and halogenated hydrocarbons. A high consumption of meat products has been associated with a increase in pancreatic, colon and breast canceramong others, something that does not happen with plant foods.
On the other hand, the Plant proteins produce less impact on the climate and the environment than the consumption of meat and fish, something that must also be taken into account.
How to improve protein digestion
In the same way that meat, fish and eggs are cooked, legumes and cereals must be prepared appropriately to deactivate antinutrients such as phytates, tannins, saponins and lectins, which can cause irritation and interfere with the absorption of nutrients.
In the case of the legumesto deactivate these compounds it is necessary soak them previously (between 8 and 24 hours) and cook them for at least an hour. This will help you digest them better. Do not use the same soaking water to boil or cook them.
Some nutritionists call be cautious with legume floursespecially with soy flour, because as they are used in baked goods, without prior soaking and with brief cooking, they could retain compounds that would be potentially unhealthy for some people.
how to improve the assimilation of essential amino acids
You can take into account some tips to increase the amount ingested and improve the assimilation of amino acids.
- Combine your meals with plant-based proteins with foods rich in vitamin C. This helps increase the iron absorption that contain legumes, whole grains and other sources of plant origin.
- Try to include several sources of protein in all intakes. Possible combinations are: lentils with rice, beans with pasta or bread, couscous with chickpeas and vegetables, spaghetti with peas, rice or pasta salad with nuts or other nuts and seeds. You can also combine chickpeas with pistachios or lentil salad with walnuts. For breakfast you can have oat flakes with soy, almond, hazelnut or quinoa milk.
- If you need to increase your protein consumption, you can get used to eating some rich ones. appetizers based on lupins or edamame.
- If it is a quality product, organically produced, without additives or added sugars, you can add vegetable protein powder to your drinks, yogurt or smoothies. It is recommended that the product be a mixture of vegetable proteins that contains soy or peas, brown rice and some type of seed. It can be a good option when you have increased protein needs because, for example, you do sports.
- Tofu and tempeh are rich in protein with all essential amino acids, in fiber and isoflavones with antioxidant properties and regulators of sex hormone levels. In addition, they are very easy and quick products to prepare.
- By combining 100 g of legumes and 100 g of cereals you get 20 to 25 g of proteins. Assess what you need based on your weight and level of physical activity. A nutritionist can help you do it.