From: jeanthea@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Mark Jeantheau)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: Re: De-muffining
Date: 14 Apr 92 15:52:46 GMT
Reply-To: jeanthea@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Mark Jeantheau)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD
Cc: jeanthea



*****  OLD STUFF (memory refresher); then NEW STUFF  ******


I previously wrote:

>>I have seen a lot of differing opinions from "authoritative sources"
>>on the need to combine vegetable protiens.  Is it any wonder that there
>>is confusion when two books--each very pro-vegetarian--give exactly
>>opposite answers on the need for combining protiens?
>>
>>It can't *hurt* to combine vegetable protiens, and there is no waste
>>of time or money if you enjoy eating all the foods you're combining.
>


Michael Traub replied:

>Depends if you like them in combination or not. I very rarely mix
>beans with rice, I get full up enough on just the beans. I do eat
>lentils with rice, but that is because they go together well. There
>is no logical reason for mixing foods together to improve their
>amino-acid content.



I wrote:

>>P.S.  The post I saw about 1 cup of rice providing a large portion of
>>daily protien requirements does not agree with several sources I have
>>seen on the subject...  And, as one poster noted, living on junk food
>>is hazardous regardless of protien requirements (and I believe the assertion
>>that such a diet would provide sufficient protien was a bit of hyperbole,
>>eh?).


Michael Traub replied:


>I sited nutritional sources for my information, to this you reply
>with none.
>
>The assertion that a diet of chocolate biscuits and potato chips
>would provide enough protein is factual. Find a nutrition manual
>and work it out if you don't believe me. I never stated that such
>a diet was *healthy*, I merely showed how stupid this whole protein
>combining nonsense is.



My new reply:

Oh, gee-willikers.  Where was my scientist's brain when I relplied...

Here it is:



Part I.  TOTAL PROTIEN REQUIREMENTS

Regarding total protien requirements, "The Vegetarian Handbook" (Ref. 1) tends 
to support the assertion that we over-consume protien.  But it still gives the
"official" answer that men need between 30 and 60 grams of protien each day, 
women 25-50 grams (p. 38).  The National Research Council's RDA of 56g protien 
daily for a "normal" man and 44g for a "normal" woman fall within these ranges 
(Ref. 2, pp. 311-312).

Concerning the protien content of brown rice, I'll assume you mean cooked rice 
(raw rice--yum yum).  Ref (3) gives the protien content of 1 cup of cooked 
long-grain brown rice as 4.9g (p. 462).  This seems about right when compared 
to the listing in reference (2) of 14.8g protien for raw brown rice  (p.277).  
(ie. 1 cup raw ~ 3 cups cooked --> 4.9g x 3 = 14.7g :: pretty close!).

OK-- Now let's say that 1 cup of cooked rice is the normal daily serving.  
Even if 100% of the 4.9g protien is utilizable--which we know it's not--you'd 
still only be filling about 10% of the NRC's RDA for protien for an average 
man.  Even going with the low-end estimates for protien requirements cited in 
reference (1), 1 cup of cooked rice--by itself--doesn't get you even close.  
(And my doubts about your junk-food-can-provide-all-the-protien-you-need 
statement grow larger....)


Part II.  FOOD COMBINING

Reference (3) states emphatically that protien combining is not required 
(p.415).  Reference (4), by implication at least, agrees with this. However, 
Reference 1--"The Vegetarian Handbook"--states just as emphatically that it 
*is* important to consume complementary protiens together (p.58 and other 
places).


Part III.  HUH?

I admit that I'm new to the vegetarian game, but I've been trying to take a 
scientific approach to ensure I meet all nutritional requirements.  It appears 
to me that even among "experts" there are still large differences of opinion.  
This is not unusual in *any* scientific field.  Experimental data is 
interpreted in different ways by different researchers; newly postulated 
theories make sense to some and are poppycock to others.  All I can do is read, 
learn, come to my own conclusions, and keep on reading! 



REFERENCES
1. "The Vegetarian Handbook," G. Null, St. Matrin's Press, 1987
2. "Nutrition Almanac," L. Dunne, McGraw-Hill, 1990
3. "The New Laurel's Kitchen," Robertson, Flinders, and Ruppenthal, Ten Speed 
Press, 1986
4. "Food Combining Made Easy," H. Shelton, Willow Publishing, 1982
(note: in this case (ref 4), "food combining" refers to the practice of eating 
different types of foods (like starch, beans, meats, fruits, etc.) separately 
to improve digestion)