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GladstoneBrookes t1_j40ibsv wrote

Reply to comment by sup2_0 in I analyzed 11000 products of a Dutch supermarket to find the cheapest sources of protein [OC] by MemeableData

Some plant proteins do have a complete amino acid profile (soy, quinoa, buckwheat, hemp seeds, etc.), but for the ones that don't it's not that complicated getting sufficient quantities of all amino acids from plant foods. All plant foods contain all essential amino acids, but often in a lower proportion than one's dietary requirements (hence the 'incomplete' classification) - grains tend to have lysine as a limiting amino acid, while for beans it's methionine, so a grain + legume combination will get you a good amino acid profile.

Also copying a previous comment on bioavailability and quality of plant proteins:

> Plant protein sources do typically have lower PDCAAS and DIAAS scores, which is where the "low bioavailability" idea comes from, but this difference is almost entirely due to limiting amino acids rather than them not being digestible or absorbed. (Note that limiting amino acids does not mean the essential amino acid is not present, all plant foods contain all amino acids, it just means that the amino acid is present in a lower proportion than a person's dietary requirements.) If you're eating a variety of plant protein sources (literally just more than one really; something like rice and beans has a perfect or near-perfect PDCAAS score, for example) then this really shouldn't be an issue for you.

> In addition, when you look at the data on the outcome we're interested in (muscle mass gain) rather than getting bogged down in amino acid composition, postprandial muscle protein synthesis, measures of fecal/ileal digestibility, etc. plant proteins appear to be non-inferior to animal protein sources. This randomised controlled trial compared omnivores supplementing with whey protein to vegans supplementing with soy protein powder and found that when they were matched for protein (1.6 g/kg/day) and underwent resistance training, there was no difference in the improvements of muscle mass or strength.

> This review is really interesting and summarises the plant protein quality issue, and also covers the environmental aspects of different protein sources. Also this review covering the broader health and environmental issues of animal vs. plant proteins.

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sup2_0 t1_j40o74u wrote

You are correct about the existence of complete plant proteins. There are studies that show an advantage in lean muscle mass gains for groups that consume animal based proteins https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7926405/#!po=29.1667

I definitely believe it is possible to gain significant lean mass on a plant based diet, it just requires more effort than an omnivorous diet in my opinion. I would be open to seeing studies that challenge the one I have sourced but I am paywalled from the one you have linked.

My original comment was just a warning to combine your plant protein sources wisely to achieve the best results. I did not mean for that to get lost in translation.

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DishingOutTruth t1_j41t265 wrote

>lean muscle mass gains for groups that consume animal based proteins

The difference in the study you linked is very small, to the extent that it is only really relevant if you're a professional bodybuilder. The average gym goer won't see much of a difference. If they're really worried about it, they could supplement their diet with protein powder (though it won't be necessary).

Its much more important that you have an optimal training regimen than worrying about where your protein comes from.

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FailOsprey t1_j4378bu wrote

This is a well-put synopsis. Whenever I'm carousing these sort of posts, I'm blown away by the emotional connection people form with their diet. It's by no means a new phenomenon; most ancient cultures literally worshipped what they ate.

Although meat is delicious, it is incredibly inefficient. If we put more effort into developing and promoting vegetarian sources of protein, all the resources waisted on livestock could be put to better use.

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