Do We Need to Combine Proteins?

by Nick
(North Carolina)

I have heard it said that when eaten together, that rice and beans form a complete protein. Is this nutritionally true? And if so, does this hold true for "processed" bean products, like tofu and tempeh? Any info you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:

Thank you for writing in and for the compliments. Diet for a Small Planet, Frances Moore Lappe first wrote about protein combining and rocked the world with that concept. When she updated that book about 20 years later (sometime recently), she added that she found protein combining wasn't absolutely necessary.

Some people still cling to the idea that you can't make complete proteins without combining foods, but I truly believe that if you are eating a healthy diet, you don't need to worry about protein in that manner. If I were you, I would check out her classic book to figure out where you stand on the matter.

The funny thing is that ancient peoples have been eating certain foods together for thousands of years, and they are often great compliments for each other nutritionally. Beans and rice are one of those foods, just like tomatoes and avocados (guacamole), and many other combinations. So, what I take from that is that beans and rice are great together, but I don't need to worry about combining the two all the time.

I hope that helps!