There was a point here made in The China Study - the conventional wisdom said that we needed foods that contained perfect protein that closely resembled our own, which would replace the nine (I thought this number was eight, but the wikipedia says nine) essential amino acids that our bodies don't synthesize.
Sources of complete protein were mainly animal protein, and soy protein could also do the job. But Campbell says research indicates it is healthier for the body when it has to do more work manufacturing protein from amino acids from different plant foods - like when the body takes the amino acids in rice and adds lysine from beans to arrive at all eight/nine. Whether you "need" to combine foods like rice and beans is a question I have; the wikipedia says you don't necessarily have to. I like to, though.
Yes, it is nine. And luckily we have the chickpea. It actually provides us with all 22 (from what I learned in nutrition class), including those nine not synthesized by our bodies. I eat lots of humus (homemade with various additions and spices). Great healthy snack.
There was a point here made in The China Study - the conventional wisdom said that we needed foods that contained perfect protein that closely resembled our own, which would replace the nine (I thought this number was eight, but the wikipedia says nine) essential amino acids that our bodies don't synthesize.
ReplyDeleteSources of complete protein were mainly animal protein, and soy protein could also do the job. But Campbell says research indicates it is healthier for the body when it has to do more work manufacturing protein from amino acids from different plant foods - like when the body takes the amino acids in rice and adds lysine from beans to arrive at all eight/nine. Whether you "need" to combine foods like rice and beans is a question I have; the wikipedia says you don't necessarily have to. I like to, though.
Yes, it is nine. And luckily we have the chickpea. It actually provides us with all 22 (from what I learned in nutrition class), including those nine not synthesized by our bodies. I eat lots of humus (homemade with various additions and spices). Great healthy snack.
ReplyDeleteMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, chickpeas.
ReplyDelete