Proteins are important building blocks of the body. For a long time, it was believed that proteins from plant sources were not absorbed well and that we could obtain them almost exclusively from animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy. Yet plant-based proteins are at least as good, and below you can read exactly how this works.
Proteins are receiving a great deal of attention, and this is not surprising. Proteins are essential for the formation, maintenance, and repair of our body tissues, such as the skin, organs, and muscles. Proteins also play a major role in our immune system and hormonal balance. It is no longer only athletes who are focused on protein; everyone benefits from consuming sufficient protein.
The documentary The Game Changers also shows us that, as an athlete—or even a professional athlete—you no longer need to reach for cottage cheese, eggs, or chicken to obtain sufficient protein. The documentary demonstrates the power of plant-based proteins. Good sources of plant-based proteins include vegetables, (sweet) potatoes, beans, legumes, grains, unroasted nuts, seeds and kernels, oatmeal, quinoa, seaweed, tofu, and tempeh. You can read below about how the absorption of plant-based proteins works.
Plant-Based Proteins and Amino Acids
Proteins are made up of amino acids. Your body links the amino acids you consume together to create a ‘complete protein’. Your body cannot produce nine of the 22 amino acids itself, so you must obtain them through your diet. These are also known as essential amino acids . The nine essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Your body needs all the essential amino acids to make a complete protein.
A random animal product may have a more favorable composition of essential amino acids, but by combining plant-based products, you can also achieve a complete amino acid profile. The secret therefore lies in eating a varied diet and combining foods. For example, beans and legumes contain relatively little methionine and a lot of lysine, while grains, seeds, kernels, and nuts contain little lysine and a lot of methionine. A meal combining beans and rice, for example, therefore provides complete proteins.
There are also plant-based foods that contain all the essential amino acids in a proportion equal to that of animal products. Examples include soybeans, chickpeas, yellow split peas, quinoa, buckwheat, kidney beans, black beans, cashews, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, and spirulina. In addition to protein, all these products also provide minerals, vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Another advantage of plant-based proteins.
Vegan Protein Shake
If you want to ensure that you consume sufficient protein in your diet, protein shakes are always an option. Plant-based protein powders are becoming increasingly popular, essentially for the same reasons described above. In a study in which strength athletes received protein powder supplements for eight weeks, with one group receiving brown rice protein and the other group receiving whey protein, no significant difference was found in strength, performance, muscle mass, or body fat (source). Good sources of plant-based proteins are sufficient. The powerful combination of rice protein and pea protein used in many plant-based protein powders creates a complete amino acid profile. Other high-quality sources found in vegan protein shakes include pumpkin protein and mung bean protein. Hemp protein is also a complete plant-based protein source made from hemp seeds that even contains all the essential and non-essential amino acids .