VEGETARIAN PROTEIN COMBINING
Are you vegetarian or vegan, or just someone who doesn't eat a lot of meat?
Are you conscious that your getting enough protein? It can be hard! Even if you live off lentils that may not be enough.
So why do we need protein?
Maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails
Optimal cognitive function
Healthy mood
Digestion: gastric acid is made from protein
Immune function
Muscle tone and muscle repair
Blood clotting
Healthy detoxification
Maintains healthy blood sugar levels
Whats the difference between plant based protein and animal based?
When eating meat as a protein source you receive a complete protein. A complete protein is a protein source which contains all 9 essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are ones that your body is unable to produce, so we must source them through food. Plant based protein sources such as lentils, peas, grains, nuts and seeds don’t provide these 9 essential amino acids, they only provide a portion of what is needed.
If you don’t eat meat it can be very difficult to receive the essential amino acids so we use a method called protein combining to ensure adequate protein is consumed. By consuming different types of incomplete proteins such as grains, seeds and legumes together in the one meal you will be consuming a complete amino acid profile, equivalent to that found in animal sources.
So how do I combine my protein?
Its easy! All you have to do is make sure that you're consuming food from more than one of the following groups
GRAINS
Wheat, rice, millet, oats, barley
SEEDS AND NUTS
Flaxseeds, quinoa, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, cashews, brazil, macadamia etc
LEGUMES
Beans, peas, lentils
Still not getting it?
So for example:
Porridge made with rolled oats (grains), and topped with LSA (ground up linseed, almond and sunflower seeds) with slivered almonds (Nuts and seeds)
Bean salad made with 3 bean mix (legumes), and cooked quinoa (seeds) tossed through.
Its not hard, its just about getting a bit more variety into your diet.
Got more questions or not sure that you’re getting enough protein through your diet? Get in touch and we can discuss it in detail to make sure you’re getting enough protein for your lifestyle.
Karah is available for consultations in Ocean Grove, Geelong and Melbourne. You can keep up to date on everything health by liking her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/karahmnaturopath and following her on instagram @belyhealth
Peninsula Family Medical Practice, Ocean Grove. Ph 03 52562001
Aura Health & Beauty, Geelong. Ph 03 52433966
A Peace of Health Clinic, Melbourne CBD. Ph 0396633665
