Vegetarian Proteins !!!

“Vegetable Proteins are not healthy and it is very difficult for vegetarians to achieve their Protein Intake” – if this is of concern to you and you believe it to be TRUE – then this post is for you – Today let us reveal some facts so that this illogical myth no longer impacts our Health – Time to Celebrate the Fact that “Vegetarian Diets are indeed the way to a Healthy YOU”

I often find myself answering a common query when dealing with Vegetarian Diets – indeed a lot of myth revolves around the inadequacy of Vegetable Proteins and hence many people who have no option to include animal foods in their diet feel helpless and unjustified for not being able to live a Healthy Lifestyle – Just because they have cultural restrictions…

Firstly, I would like you to erase this myth from your understanding and embrace a NEW awareness – which is – Vegetarian Proteins, though have their limitations, but with effective and Smart Planning of Meals, they too can contribute towards a Healthy Lifestyle.

Before I share with you the SECRET of making our Vegetarian Diets a value-added addition to our LIFE, let’s picture this Scenario that is commonly seen in all homes and we too have lived this Moment in life…

As kids, we always preferred eating just plain rice or chapatis or bread. Our mothers had a tough time coaxing us to eat a bowl of lentils or at least some beans alongside…But time and again we would secretly just seize the hot chapattis roll them up and run off to play. And sometimes, a slice of bread would be all that we prefer and at other occasions a handful of steaming rice would satisfy us, but not our mothers…

What did we do wrong that made our Mother Unhappy, after all we were eating something and not running off to play empty stomach…

No doubt Bread, Rice & Chapati do play a very important role in nutrition, giving us the much-needed energy to play and run & yet mothers are never relaxed when their children choose to eat just the a part of the Meal because be it Rice or Wheat Chapati or even Bread – all these are from the Cereal Group of nutrients – and this Food group has a flaw in its PROTEIN QUALITY.

Well does that mean that having Dals & Pulses is the way out – Now just imagine, what if the child makes a choice to only gulp down a Bowl of Dal or decides to quickly eat some lentils and rush off to play, will that be considered a Healthy Choice – Once again we are making an error – because just having a Bowl of Pulses or also isn’t a GREAT CHOICE either !!!

Wondering WHY ???

With respect to Nutritional aspect both, Cereals & Pulses provide us with a good share of concentrated, nourishing 8-12% proteins and yet the Protein Profile in them is “incomplete” – Food science proves that the quality of proteins, both in Cereal grains and Pulses is not of very high biological value, hence these both Food Groups prove to be a limitation with respect to Health…and often considered, “Almost complete” and not Complete Proteins...

This is precisely the reason why “Vegetable Proteins” are considered to be of Poor Quality.

“Almost complete” and “complete” is the difference that needs to be understood here…for only then can we create Magic with Vegetable Proteins. Cereals & Pulses – Both are lacking in their Amino Acid Profile…

Pulses are deficient in Methionine but rich in Lysine.
Cereals are deficient in Lysine but rich in Methionine.

To qualify as a Complete Protein, the food source must contain all the 9 EAA – histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

Lack of even one Essential Amino Acids (EAA) qualifies the Cereals & Protein food group to be Incomplete hence the tag of “Almost complete”.

CEREALS & PULSES – Both are “Incomplete Proteins“

We did discuss at length in our previous articles, the concept of Complete & incomplete Proteins and also the fact that Plant Proteins are INCOMPLETE, hence a strategy is needed to make them Complete, for it is a fact that “Complete Proteins” contribute to a HEALTHY BODY.

Secret to Smart Combinations

Cereals and Pulses individually provide us with an “ALMOST COMPLETE PROTEINS” and we aren’t seeking anything less than COMPLETE PROTEINS…and this calls for a Integration of the two Food Groups.

Research says that that by combining of two or more incomplete proteins, a complete protein can be created…and this is how we can make Vegetarian Proteins a healthy addition to our Diets.

Complete Proteins are predominantly important for all age groups and especially in children as their bodies are growing and changing on a daily basis. They are the body’s basic building blocks for muscle growth and vital for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of good quality COMPLETE PROTEIN in the diets of a child can slow down growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system.

These are the causes of WORRY for a Mother and so she insists that her child eats a Balanced Meal of Cereals & Pulses – as this Combination helps her provide Complete Proteins to her child.

The GOAL on our MIND when eating Vegetarian Meals is to make sure we are planning our Meals with a Strategy that has been scientifically proven. When cereals & Pulses are combined, both work together and aid in providing the complete essential amino acid profile for the proper functioning of our body.…The merger makes them COMPLETE – a strategy we must adopt when cooking with Vegetable Proteins.

Additional Benefits of a Cereal Pulse Combination Meal

The combination of a pulse with a cereal not only makes our meals delicious but they also serve as a smart way to increase the nutritional value of our meals by providing us with many other nutrients in addition to COMPLETE PROTEINS.

Besides enhancing the Protein Profile, both these Food Groups gift us other essential nutrients – Vitamins & Minerals needed by the Body.
Cereals are loaded with B-complex vitamins and Minerals like iron and zinc
The fibre component both in Cereals & Pulses help us maintain a Healthy Gut.
Pulses too provide us with nutrients like vitamin B1 & B2…a must for Metabolism.
Pulses are excellent sources of Iron , potassium & Folate.
Pulses also have long chain fatty acids which are essential for lipid metabolism and vitamin absorption.
Pulses are low in fats & with no cholesterol makes them a GREAT CHOICE over Animal Proteins.
The high lysine and folate content makes pulses perfect for making the composite flours with cereals.
Cereal & Pulse combination meals benefit us in many ways – When eaten for breakfast, these meals help us kick-start the day with a bang.
Cereal Pulse combination Meals provide us with both energy and satiety that helps us stabiles our Sugar Levels thereby aiding in maintaining our weight.

I hope now you can appreciate why mothers insist on eating “complete meal” and though sometimes we have to choose Vegetable Proteins, we do have the SECRET that assists us in serving Delicious & Healthy options to our Family.

With all the answers and strategies on how to plan meals with “Complete Proteins” – I hope you no longer approach “Vegetarian Diets” as an obstacle to be feared, but a platter to be approached with creativity & confidence – and Viola – You have your family cheering for YOU at all TIMES.

In the follow up article we shall discuss a few Cereal Pulse Combinations that can excite our Children – until then, I request you to Celebrate the Understanding that Being a Vegetarian isn’t all that BAD.