Ask Dr Nerenberg | Health and Fitness

What is the story with ”complete proteins”?

I’ve read numerous sources both book & internet related.
Nutrition for dummies goes with the whole idea of ”complimenting protein sources” to meet your body needs.
Various internet sources say as long as its consumed within a good 8 hours or so of one another the body will convert certain foods into necessary proteins.
Some sources both book & internet related say its utter bulls*it from studies that didn’t produce proper controls/factors therefore bad science.

Proteins are made up of amino acids. The handful of amino acids that you must get in your diet because your body cannot provide them are called essential amino acids. Foods have the amino acids in different amounts. So one may be strong in certain amino acids while others are low in them. The idea of complimenting proteins or food combining comes from a book from 1971, Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe. In the updated version of the book, the author says she was wrong:

“In 1971 I stressed protein complementarity because I assumed that the only way to get enough protein … was to create a protein as usable by the body as animal protein. In combating the myth that meat is the only way to get high-quality protein, I reinforced another myth. I gave the impression that in order to get enough protein without meat, considerable care was needed in choosing foods. Actually, it is much easier than I thought.
With three important exceptions, there is little danger of protein deficiency in a plant food diet. The exceptions are diets very heavily dependent on [1] fruit or on [2] some tubers, such as sweet potatoes or cassava, or on [3] junk food (refined flours, sugars, and fat). Fortunately, relatively few people in the world try to survive on diets in which these foods are virtually the sole source of calories. In all other diets, if people are getting enough calories, they are virtually certain of getting enough protein.”

Foods do not need to be combined at the same meal to make a complete protein. Your body pools the amino acids to build proteins. While it’s important to eat the essential amino acids, you do not need to combine foods or eat them at the same meal. The key to a healthy diet is variety.

From the Vegetarian Resource Group: “It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for protein, as long as calorie intake is adequate. Strict protein combining is not necessary; it is more important to eat a varied diet throughout the day. ” http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

From the American Dietetic Association: “Plant protein can meet protein requirements
when a variety of plant foods is consumed and energy needs are met. Research indicates that an
assortment of plant foods eaten over the course of a day can provide all essential amino acids and ensure adequate nitrogen retention and use in healthy adults; thus, complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal (8).” http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2009_ADA_position_paper.pdf On pg. 1268, there’s other detailed information.

From the Mayo Clinic: “You can also get sufficient protein from plant-based foods if you eat a variety of them throughout the day. ” http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596/METHOD=print

The American Heart Association: “Protein: You don’t need to eat foods from animals to have enough protein in your diet. Plant proteins alone can provide enough of the essential and non-essential amino acids, as long as sources of dietary protein are varied and caloric intake is high enough to meet energy needs.” http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4777

From the United States Department of Agriculture: “Protein needs can easily be met by eating a variety of plant-based foods. Combining different protein sources in the same meal is not necessary. ” http://www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/vegetarian_diets_print.html

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