Susan's Nutrition Weblog: You Complete Me

hi susan. i have heard that rice and beans are the perfect protein. is that true and if so why?

Hi Katy! Welcome to the blog. This is a great question because I actually know the answer off the top of my head.

Well, as you may know, beans have protein. Rice has protein too. Protein is made up of amino acids. You've got your essential and your non-essential amino acids. Non-essential means you don't need to worry about eating them because your body makes them magically (FYI: there's no such thing as biology; it's all magic). Essential means you better eat them because your body can't make them on its own.

There are anywhere from eight to ten ESSENTIAL amino acids (depending on your health and age) -- isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, blah blah blah, you don't care, but trust me, there are potentially ten. If your protein source is "complete" it has all your ESSENTIAL amino acids. If it's "incomplete", then . . . what class? . . . that's right, it does not have all the ESSENTIAL amino acids.

An egg is complete because it has all the essential amino acids. But let's talk vegan. Soybeans are complete because they too have all the EAAs, however, most plant foods do not have all the EAAs. Fortunately our ancestors had the innate knowledge to know they needed to combine these foods, thus beans & rice was born as a staple dish.

Other historic examples:
Cereal with milk
Granola with yogurt
Hummus and pita bread
Nut butter with whole grain bread
Rice with milk, i.e., rice pudding
Corn or wheat tortillas with refried beans

See the pattern in our forefathers’ infinite wisdom? I know! It’s fascinating!

Thanks for the question, Katy! See you . . . well, see you right now, you’re my room mate. Lucky you!!

Comments

does rice still complete the bean if it is white?

Posted by: adriana | September 07, 2005 at 11:24 AM

please say yes, please say yes, please say yes....

Posted by: David | September 07, 2005 at 12:11 PM

tonight's dinner of rice and beans is riding on your answer, susan!

Posted by: adriana | September 07, 2005 at 04:04 PM

Oops, now that it's 1 am. Hope you weren't waiting for me to answer this question. The answer is . . . . . . . . . yes. Bon appetit or nighty night, whichever came first.

Posted by: Susan | September 08, 2005 at 01:11 AM

We ate the white rice. :)

Posted by: David | September 08, 2005 at 06:25 PM