Proteins for vegetarians

"Most people do not view protein rationally. (...) This mega-protein mania symbolizes the consciousness of a society based on continuous growth, as protein is the body's builder." (Paul Pitchford) (1)

"Until very recently, nearly every standard source of information on nutrition (...) emphasized the need for adequate protein and cautioned that total vegetarians may easily become deficient in protein (...). Because of this widespread concept, many concerned vegetarians use protein supplements, eggs and dairy or extra amounts of legumes, brewer's yeast, miso soy paste, seeds and nuts combined with quantities of grain to ensure abundant and "complete" protein nutrition. Often the net result is not only a bloated condition but a reduction in actually usable protein.
The root cause of this concern is misinformation that protein of plant origin is deficient in certain amino acids and "incomplete" for humans. The recommended vegetarian solution has been to combine various forms of plant protein - for instance, a grain and a legume - in order to obtain an amino-acid pattern that is "complete". These ideas for protein-combining and the standards for completeness go back to experiments done on rats in the early part of [the 20th] century."(2)

Pitchford goes on to explain that these ideas have been proven false in the mean time, and that the protein needs for humans are very different (and lower) than those of rats (amongst others because we humans are not completely covered with fur, as rats are). According to him, even vegetarians usually consume too much proteins, and it isn't necessary at all to worry about proteins being "complete" or not, except maybe for some special cases (namely "pregnant and lactating women, very young children, hypoglycemics, people under psychological or physical stress, recovering alcoholics, recent vegetarians, and those with protein deficiency"). For them, a wider amino-acid spectrum (usually referred to as "complete proteins") can be achieved by combining grains with legumes (at a ratio of two parts grains to one part legume), or grains with nuts or seeds, but this is not necessary for most of us, nor is it necessary to combine them in one and the same meal. "The foods can be alternated - grains at one meal, legumes at the next (...)"(2). There is an "amino-acid pool", a "reserve" stored in the body, which will complement the amino-acids present in the meal with the amino-acids we ingested earlier, resulting in "complete" proteins.

In his "protein guidelines", Pitchford recommends the following daily quantities(3):

• animal protein (meats, fowl, fish and cheese): only as medicine; 112 gr. daily or less, 55-85 gr. is considered ideal (for those who need it). Occasionaly (f.i. on holidays) 170 gr. does not cause imbalance.

• Plant protein (legumes - beans, peas, lentils, soy products such as tempeh and tofu - and quinoa and amaranth): 225 gr. daily or less, 95-170 gr. is ideal, 335 gr. maximum on occasions. All weights are for prepared foods. Extremely concentrated plant proteins (such as nuts and seeds) much less: "30 gr. daily is a substantial amount of nuts and seeds".
  
  
• Combined plant and animal proteins: add half the weight of plant protein intake (except nuts and seeds) to the entire weight of nuts and seeds and the entire weight of animal protein. The total should fall within guidelines for animal protein (112gr. daily, 55-85gr. ideal, 170 gr. max). For instance: 170 gr. lentils, 10 gr. nuts and 30 gr. of fish: 170/2 + 10 + 30= 125 gr. This slightly exceeds the recommended daily maximum of 112 gr.
  

(I have to add that the Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner I frequent thinks that these guidelines are very low except for full-time meditators, and could be somewhat higher.)

So don't go crazy on "where will I get my proteins" to begin with. A reasonable amount of legumes, and some nuts and seeds, are more than sufficient for most of us. Occasionally some "meat substitute" can be very tasty and nutritious, but beware of what kind of substitute you consume - again, not all that is sold, is healthful.

Here is some information on a few common high-protein vegetable foods.

SOY
"Unless well-cooked, soybeans inhibit the digesive enzyme trypsin, making them difficult to digest. The fermentation process, such as used in tempeh, tofu, miso and soy sauce, also eliminates the beans' trypsin-inhibiting effect. (...) (Pitchford describes many beneficial effects of good-quality soy products, especially of the above mentioned fermented soy products. On the other hand,) Soy milks, infant soy formulas, soy protein powders, soy concentrates and soy isolates often contain denatured proteins and/or isolated proteins without the necessary nutrient cofactors of digestion and metabolism; thus they generally do not promote enduring health."(4)

Tempeh is recommended by Pitchford as "highly nutritious (...) In recipes with meat, poultry, or fish, tempeh makes an excellent substitute for these animal products. (...) Do not eat tempeh raw, it needs to be cooked thoroughly."(5)
Also tofu is recommended by him, but with some caution, as it is considered "cooling" in Traditional Chinese Medicine. "Tofu is a concentrated protein and can be beneficial when eaten in moderate amounts (...). For most people, its yin, cooling quality needs to be altered by thorough cooking; adding warming spices such as ginger is particularly helpful for cold persons. (...) Caution: eating massive amounts of tofu regularly (as some Americans do) can contribute to kidney-adrenal weakness, loss and graying of hair, impotence, frigidity, and decrease in sexual sensitivity."(6)

Rebecca Wood "[does not] recommend hard-to-digest Western soy products, which have not had the trypsin inhibitor removed. These products include soy flour, soy grits, soy flakes, soy nuts and soy nut butter. Neither do I recommend superrefined soy products, such as lecithin, soy isolates, soy protein, TSP (textured soy protein) and TVP (textured vegetable protein)."(7) (She does recommend soy yogurt, as it is fermented).

SEITAN
"Very high in protein; produces strength and vitality; sometimes referred to as wheat meat; a good substitute for animal food."(8)
"Versatile, hearty and wholesome. (...) When freshly made with quality ingredients, seitan is an energizing food."(9)

Footnotes
(1) Paul Pitchford, "Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition", North Atlantic Books; 3rd edition (2002), p. 131
(2) id. p. 131-132
(3) id. p.29-30
(4) id., p.510
(5) id., p. 522-523
(6) id., p.526-527
(7) Rebecca Wood, "The new whole foods encyclopedia: a comprehensive resource for healthy eating", foreword by Paul pitchford, revised and updated ed., 1999, Penguin Books, p. 316)
(8) Paul Pitchford, "Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition", North Atlantic Books; 3rd edition (2002), p.486
(9) Rebecca Wood, "The new whole foods encyclopedia: a comprehensive resource for healthy eating", foreword by Paul pitchford, revised and updated ed., 1999, Penguin Books, p.308