Plant-Based Breakout Now – Plant Protein You Didn’t Know

Now more and more people begin to pay attention to and pursue health and pay attention to balanced nutrition. Therefore, many people are beginning to focus on vegetarianism or reducing the intake of animal food. The plant protein market is gradually emerging. Besides soy protein, what other plant proteins do you know?

Plant protein may become the future trend.

In January 2019, DuPont Nutrition & Health and Health Focus International released a report on changing trends in plant-based diets in the United States, interviewing more than 1,000 U.S. consumers about their eating habits. The results show that 52% of U.S. consumers prefer plant-based foods and beverages, and almost 60% of respondents say the shift to a plant-based diet will be permanent; a stark example of this is the choice of whey-based ingredients Consumers of protein powders are increasingly turning to plant-based sources, such as pea-based or rice-based sources.

1. An old friend in plant protein: soy protein

Soy products are reputed to have the highest content of plant protein and are the main food source for vegetarians to supplement protein. In addition, soybeans are rich in vegetable protein that can meet the functional needs of the human body. In addition, there are various substances beneficial to human health such as isoflavones and amino acids. In terms of amino acid content, soybean protein is the only vegetable protein reported so far that contains 9 essential amino acids required by the human body and the content meets the needs of the human body, and is recognized as a full-value protein.

Drinks made with soy protein are known as “green milk” by nutritionists. Soy protein has a significantly lower effect on people with high cholesterol. Soy protein drinks are easier to digest and absorb than milk. After milk enters the stomach, it is easy to form large and hard lumps, while soy milk forms into small flakes after entering the stomach, and it is soft and not hard, which can make it easier to digest and absorb.

2. The Rising Stars of Plant Protein: Peas, Hemp and Quinoa

At present, among the raw materials of plant-based protein products on the market, pea protein ranks first, followed by rice protein and soy protein. Avoiding the controversy of soy protein “GMO” and allergy sources, pea protein has the upper hand in terms of health and sustainability. In addition, hemp and quinoa protein can provide a variety of comprehensive amino acids, which will become potential stocks of plant-based protein.

A. pea protein

Peas are the second largest edible legume crop. About 65 countries in the world produce peas. The annual output of peas in China is about 1.6 million tons, accounting for about 9% of the world’s total pea production. Pea protein is an important part of pea, its biological value is 48% to 64%, the efficacy ratio is 0.6 to 1.2, and it is not easy to be allergic, and has high nutritional value. The proportion of amino acids in pea protein is relatively balanced. The content of the other seven essential amino acids except methionine is close to the recommended model value of FAO/WHO, which is easy to digest and absorb. At the same time, the content of lysine is high, which is a good source of protein.

B. hemp protein

Hemp seeds are the seeds of the Moraceae plant hemp, which has a long history of cultivation in my country. The protein content of hemp seeds is 20% to 25%, which is a high-quality protein source. Hemp protein is rich in a variety of amino acids, of which all 8 essential amino acids are contained in the human body, and the content is high, reasonable and balanced, and meets the requirements of “high-quality complete protein”. In addition, hemp protein can supply all the edible amino acids needed by the human body, which fully meets all the needs of the human body to manufacture the main components of plasma (albumin and globulin), and is essential to maintain human health.

C. Quinoa Protein

The average protein content of quinoa is 16% (up to 22%), and it is rich in 8 essential amino acids and histidine necessary for infants and young children. The quality and content of quinoa protein is comparable to skim milk powder and meat, making it the best choice for vegetarians and an excellent alternative to grains such as rice. At the same time, FAO, WHO and other organizations have pointed out that the essential amino acid content of quinoa is higher than that of conventional crops such as rice, wheat and corn, especially lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan, which are relatively lacking in grain protein. in quinoa protein.