Do Pasta and Beans Make a Complete Protein? The Science of Complementary Plant Foods
                                
                                
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                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                According to nutritional science, most plant-based foods, including grains and legumes, are considered incomplete proteins on their own because they lack sufficient quantities of certain essential amino acids. However, when consumed together, do pasta and beans make a complete protein by providing all the necessary building blocks? The answer, as many traditional cuisines have shown, is yes, and it’s a lot simpler than you might think.