Tag: Mutual supplementation

The human body requires nine essential amino acids from dietary sources, but many single plant proteins are 'incomplete,' meaning they lack sufficient levels of one or more. This is why when two or more plant proteins are combined to compensate for deficiencies in essential amino acid content in each protein, they are called complementary proteins. Historically, this led to the practice of 'protein combining' in every meal, a concept now known to be outdated.

According to nutritional experts, while most animal products contain complete proteins, many plant-based foods do not. A prime example of a mutual supplementation food is the combination of beans and rice, where two incomplete protein sources work together to form a complete protein.