HOW TO OPTIMIZE PROTEIN QUALITY

Know your protein…

The ‘whats and whys’ of this essential macro-nutrient.

By Dr. Juhi Agarwal

18th November, 2019

We’re often asked by clients how to optimise the quality protein—so here’s our take on the same.  The proteins in our body are made up of building blocks called amino acids, either from scratch or by modifying others.  Nine of the twenty plus amino acids present are known as essential amino acids (EAAs), which must come from food since our bodies cannot produce them. Keeping this in mind, protein sources are divided into two categories – complete and incomplete.

A complete protein (first-class protein) contains all 9 EAAs and is predominantly found in animal-based foods such as meat, dairy, eggs, etc. The plant-based equivalents are relatively few—soy and its products, chia seeds and quinoa. Please note: even though quinoa contains all 9 EAAs, it is predominantly a carb-based food.

On the other hand, an incomplete protein is one that contains some but not all of the 9 EAAs. For example, protein found in grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables. These are the primary constituents of a plant-based diet. Therefore, a common misconception around plant-based or vegetarian diets is that they do not contain enough protein, or the right kinds of protein—this is a myth.

A few tips to keep in mind when choosing your protein source:

• It was previously believed that vegetarians would need to consume complementary sources of protein at each meal to make up for their incomplete profile (For eg. dal with rice to overcome the limiting amino acid called methionine). Thankfully, this theory has been debunked many times over. The body works more on a daily basis than an hourly one—your body will do a good job of combining the EAAs when having a variety of foods (including dal, rice, beans, wheat, nuts and seeds) throughout the day rather than only at specific meals times.
• It is more important to look at the overall content of the protein source or the ‘protein package’ than just the protein itself—the fat, carbohydrates and micronutrients that invariably come with it. For example, animal products can be higher in salt and saturated fat as compared to its plant-based equivalents—lentils contain a high amount of carbs (roughly 2.5 times that of the protein content) as compared to meat, which have virtually no carbs.

• Research on the effects of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets on health shouldn’t be interpreted to negate either. Studies that show the benefits of vegan or vegetarian diets, especially in terms of blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels and cancer risk, are confounded by many factors including a healthy BMI range, active lifestyle, clean living to name a few. Additionally, studies have proven that a high intake of fruits and veggies, regardless of meat and dairy intake, is associated with lower risk of heart disease and cancer. These health benefits can be achieved by eating more plant-based products and less animal-based products without avoiding the latter altogether.

Opt for a diet that is sustainable, healthy and one that keeps you happy while knowing all the facts to make an informed decision.

Stay tuned for more on the “controversial” dairy as a source of protein.