Vegan Nutrition with Dina Aronson, M.S. R.D.

Dina Aronson, MS, RD is a vegan dietitian whose specialties include chronic disease prevention, vegetarian/vegan nutrition, and lifestyle management. She is the founder and director of VeganRD.com, a nutrition consulting company. Active in many vegetarian nutrition organizations, Dina was the recipient of the American Dietetic Association's Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award in 2002.

See full index of questions

What's the difference between complete protein and plain protein (what kinds are there)? I read in The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook something about the levels of amino acids and if you didn't get complete protein it would just change to either fat or sugar. Does this mean the protein I'm getting in peanut butter and other things is useless? Thank you,
-Mary

Dear Mary,

The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook is no longer new - it was originally published in 1975 (but was updated in 1987 and 1988). I checked out my copy, from 1988, and indeed it mentions protein combining. Around that time, nutrition experts were starting to understand that protein combining for vegetarians is unnecessary. In the 70's and 80's, vegetarians were told that they needed to combine amino acids (the building blocks of protein) from different plant foods at the same meal in order to make a complete protein. Nutrition experts now know that as long as we consume a wide variety of whole plant foods (including whole grains, legumes [nuts, seeds, beans], vegetables, and fruits) throughout the day and in sufficient amounts, our total protein needs will be met.

The amino acids in your peanut butter and other plant foods are as real and useful as the protein in meat (but a lot healthier). The body stores amino acids in the liver, making proteins as needed. The "limiting" amino acid in one plant food will be consumed in another plant food, whether at that meal or a different meal, as long as you're following a healthy vegan plan with a sufficient variety of whole foods.

Protein does not change into fat and sugar per se; protein goes into building lean tissue such as muscle, gets burned as energy, or goes through a complex biochemical process that eventually ends up as fat that gets stored in the body (this occurs only if you're consuming more calories from protein than your body can utilize).

Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

Sponsors:

Got Recipes? We Want Them!
Submit yours today to win a prize!