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Howdy,

Each weekend I make my lunch for the week. Normally this involves a big pot of beans with some lean meat and veggies added. My question is, how important is it that I complete the protein in the beans by adding brown rice? This might be important if I was a vegetarian but I eat plenty of meat and dairy.
So, how important is it to complete proteins at each meal?

thanks,

-MZ

it's generally accepted now that proteins do not have to be completed at each meal, as long as the complementing amino acids are eaten at some point during the same day, you should be ok.

Nah.... the main problem is that if you eat only beans as a main source of protein you end up with a methionine deficient meal, since you already have a HBV protein source of meat in the meal you don't have to "complete" every protein at every meal.

The concept mostly applies to Vegetarians that are generally extremely restrictive in protein sources as well as towards the lower end of their protein requirements

If your protein sources are varied and your significantly more than minimum you'll be fine

You should not have any problems since you consume milk and meat which are complete proteins. Protein combining was a controversial theory that vegans (strict vegetarians) needed to complement each meal with certain protein foods like rice and beans, so that the total protein consumed ended up being complete. Health food organizations believe it is not necessary for vegans to complement each meal as long as they eat various vegetables throughout the day.

Dr Andrew Weil says "You may have heard that vegetable sources of protein are "incomplete" and become "complete" only when correctly combined. Research has discredited that notion so you don't have to worry that you won't get enough usable protein if you don't put together some magical combination of foods at each meal."

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA142995

Thanks everyone. I will gladly eat my beans in peace now.

MsclDrew said
If your protein sources are varied and your [sic] significantly more than minimum you'll be fine

variety, rather than just milk, does a body good. for example, don't forget to eat your daily serving of Cicadas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A476859

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/05/0503_040503_cicadafeast.html

http://www.si.edu/encyclopedia_si/nmnh/buginfo/inasfood.htm

complete protein=my load