What is a Complete Protein?

By Christine Pinney Karkow, ACE and AFAA Certified Personal Trainer |

Getting the right amount of protein is vital to good health. Our bodies break down the protein molecules that we eat into amino acids, the body’s building blocks for all body tissue. Most people need about .8 grams  of protein per kg of body weight (1.37 for the serious body builder and/or endurance athlete). For most, these protein needs  can be met by following a well-balanced, nutritious diet. What defines a good source of protein versus a not-so-good source? The first criterion to consider is the proportion of protein to other nutrients in a serving. Look for foods that contain more protein than fat or carbohydrates. Turkey Breast is an excellent  example. One  3.5 oz serving contains 28.7 grams of protein, 7.41 grams of fat and no carbohydrates.

Some sources that people often think of as being good sources of protein might not be. For example, in an 8 oz container of non-fat fruit yogurt, you’ll find 4.4 grams of protein, .20 grams of fat and 19 grams of carbohydrate, most of which are simple sugars. Yogurt does contain valuable minerals such as calcium, but should be considered more as a source of carbohydrates than as a stand-alone source of protein. An important consideration to take when evaluating the quality of a protein source is whether or not it is complete. A protein can be considered “complete” if it  contains all eight Essential Amino Acids, the amino acids that your body must obtain from outside sources in order to adequately synthesize protein. Proteins from animal sources, along with soybeans, do have all eight, and are thus complete.

While many other plant-based foods contain protein, most are not complete; therefore, they need to be complemented with other plant  sources in order to obtain all eight essential amino acids to be utilized by the body for tissue building. For example, garbanzo beans contain 4.95 grams of protein per 100g serving, but are deficient in the essential amino acid methionine (but is high in lysine) – that protein will be broken down into energy, not used to build tissue. If those same garbanzo beans are combined with sesame seeds – high in methionine and low in lysine – (blended to make hummus), all essential amino acids will be present, making it a complete protein. It should be noted, however, that the amount of carbohydrates and fat grams outnumber the protein grams in most legumes and nuts.

If one is a vegetarian, or simply trying to cut down on animal-based food products, plant sources can provide an adequate amount of quality protein so long as one takes care to consume the proper complements.

References:

1. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/nut_search_new.pl

2.www.exrx.net/Nutrition/Protein.html

3. www.becomehealthynow.com/article/proteins/309/

For more info, contact Sports West at (775) 348-6666 or www.sportswestreno.com, specializing in 24/7 state-of-the-art fitness with child care.