MEAT (OR VEG) YOUR PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS

Protein.  An essential component needed to build and maintain our bodies and our health and, based on what I see in my nutrition practice, is something many people aren't getting enough of.  Protein helps build muscle, repair tissue, stabilize blood sugar, as well as playing a role in enzyme, neurotransmitter and hormone function. 

There are 20 essential amino acids that make up the building blocks of protein -  11 that our bodies are able to produce on its own, and 9 that must come from the foods we eat.  Foods that contain, or combine together to make those 9 essential proteins are known as complete proteins.  The more often we can hit the mark of consuming complete proteins, the better our bodies function.  And surprisingly, it's not that difficult to achieve.

So then, what foods do contain complete proteins?  All animal products - meat, fish, dairy, eggs  as well as foods like quinoa, chia, edamame beans and soy.  There are also a number of other plant based foods that contain incomplete proteins that, when combined with other foods result in a complete protein.  This is especially important to know for those wishing to eat less meat or eliminate it altogether.  Grains and legumes (rice and beans or Ezekiel bread and peanut butter) or nuts and seeds with legumes (hummus made of chick peas and tahini - sesame seed paste with veggies) are all options that serve both as a complete protein and a meatless option.  Other foods like tofu and tempeh (soy) are also complete on their own, but typically a much lower quality protein.

"Beefing" up your meals with nutrient dense veggies like beans, peas, sprouts, kale and broccoli, will also give you some extra protein, albeit incomplete.  Check out HealthAliciousNess' list of the top 27 protein enriched veggies https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/vegetables-high-in-protein.php
But hey, with the extensive list of food combinations that do create a complete protein, it's next to impossible not to have at least some at every meal when you focus on whole, nutrient dense, single ingredient foods.  And really, shouldn't we be doing that anyway?