Alternative Protein

Sources for Vegan &

Vegetarian diets

Sports Nutrition (NUTR 407)

February 26th 2015

By: Haley Schlechter 1

Objectives:

Be able to explain what PDCAAS is and how it

relates to bioavailability.

Identify which Protein powders contain most

digestible protein.

Identify 3 different protein sources for restrictive

diets (Vegan AND Vegetarian).

Identify new and trending protein powders on

market and how effective they are.

2

Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino

Acid Score

PDCAAS value of 1.0 is the highest and 0.0 is the lowest

Whey Protein- 1.0

Egg white protein- 1.0

Casein protein- 1.0

Milk protein- 1.0

Soy protein Isolate- 1.0

Pea Protein- 0.93

Beef- 0.92

Soybeans- 0.91

Kidney beans- 0.68

Whole wheat bread- 0.54

Hemp Protein- 0.46

3

Non-meat protein sources:

Vegetarians:

Milk

Whey

Casein

Eggs

Beans/ legumes

Soybeans

Quinoa

Hemp Protein

Pea Protein

Rice Protein

Seitan

Tempe

Tofu

Vegan:

Beans/ legumes

Soybeans

Quinoa

Hemp Protein

Pea Protein

Rice Protein

Seitan

Tempe

Tofu

4

Milk

Complete protein: PDCAAS: 1.0

Contains (per 1 cup)

86 calories

.5g of fat

8g protein

12g carbs

Cost $3.50 per gallon

80% casein

20% whey

5

Whey Protein powder

Complete Protein: PDCAAS: 1.0

Typical serving (per 26g):

80 calories

.3g fat

26g protein

Cost: $32 for 1.37lbs ($23.35 per lb)

Fast Acting protein

Concentrate vs. isolate

Concentrate: at least 70% protein

Isolate: ~ 95% protein

6

Casein Protein powder

Complete Protein: PDCAAS: 1.0

Contains (per 33g):

120 Calories

1g fat

3g carbs

24g protein

Cost: $60 for 2 lbs. ($30.00 per lb)

Slower acting protein:

Consume before bed to prevent muscle breakdown

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Eggs and Egg Protein Powder

Complete protein: PDCAAS: 1.0

1 large boiled egg contains

77 calories

5g fat

.5g crabs

6.26g protein

Cost: 2.00 for a dozen

Egg Protein Powder:

Contains (per 30.5g):

110 Calories

.5g fat

2 carbs

24g protein

Cost: ~$65.00 per 2 lbs

(32.0 per lb)

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Beans/ Legumes Incomplete protein: PDCAAS: 0.68

They generally lack leucine, lysine and saline

Tend to be low in methionine as well

By adding (brown) rice you can make it a complete protein

Contains per ½ cup:

Calories 330

21g protein

1.4g fat

60g carbs

Vegetarian and Vegan

Examples: White beans, lima Beans, lentil, kidney, pinto, black beans,

chick peas 9

Soybeans

Incomplete: PDCAAS 0.91

Not a great source of methionine and lysine

Vegan and vegetarian

½ cup contains:

149 calories

7g fat

15g protein

Cost: $3.00 per 24 oz ($2.00 per lb)

Natto- fermented soybeans

Similar to overgrown kidney beans

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Isolate Soy Protein

Complete: PDCAAS 1.0

Vegan and vegetarians

Contains (per 28.5g):

110 calories

1g fat

2.1g carb

23g protein

Cost: $32.00 for 1.5lbs ($21.00 per

lb)

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Quinoa

Complete protein PDCAAS ~ 0.79

Contains per ½ cup:

110 calories

1.75g fat

20g crabs

4g protein

Cost: $5.00 per lb.

Vegan & Vegetarian

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Pea Protein

Incomplete Protein: PDCAAS: 0.93

Missing Histidine

Slow digesting Protein

Extracted from legumes

Just starting to become more popular

Vegan alternative

Gluten, soy, and dairy free

High in Lysine and Arginine

Vegan athletes at risk for lysine deficiency although it is rare

Provides 30% of non-heme Iron needed daily

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Different Types of Pea Protein:

Different kinds: Beach Pea, Grass Pea and Green Pea

In research found that:

Beach Pea seemed to have higher Predicted Biological

Value (PBV) and Predicted Protein Efficiency Ratio (PPER)

than Green Pea and Grass Pea proteins

Beach Protein Isolate stacks up similarly to other

protein powders

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Pea Protein in Research

Article: Pea Protein oral supplement promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled clinical trail vs. Whey Protein

Compared effects of placebo group, pea protein and whey protein

Methods: 12 week resistance training programs, consumption in morning and within 30 minutes after resistance training.

Performed on trained and untrained individuals

Was NOT trying to compare whey vs. Pea protein

Results: Pea protein stacked up just as well as and in a few areas better then Whey protein

Muscle thickness increase was highest in Pea protein although it was not statistically significant

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Pea Protein: Take home points

Contains (per 30g):

130 calories

2g fat

28g protein

$31.00 per 32 oz ($15.00 per lb)

Complete Protein

Slow digesting protein

People with allergies to milk proteins and Vegans

The bioavailability of Pea protein is just as abundant as

whey protein and would be a reasonable alternative

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Rice Protein

Incomplete protein: PDCAAS 0.47

Contains all 9 EAA but low levels of Histidine and Lysine

Contains (per 21g serving):

80 calories

0g fat

2g carb

17g protein

High fiber, B vitamins

Cost: $48.95 for 2.2 lbs ($22.00 per lb.)

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Hemp Protein

Complete Protein but low PDCAAS

Seed= 35% protein

Hemp Seed PDCAAS: 0.50

Hemp Meal PDCAAS: 0.48

De-hulled Seed PDCAAS: 0.65

Contains (per30g):

120 Calories

4g fat

7g carbs

13g protein

Cost: $17.00 per lb.

Illegal to grow in US.

Considered Environmentally friendly

18

Coconut Protein:

New and trending on market

Could not find a PDCAAS score for

coconut protein

This one claims to be lactose and

gluten free

Medium coconut has 13g of protein

But 1400 calories

Coconut Protein Drinks Ingredients

12 bottles= $35.00 dollars

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Cyanobacteria: Spirulina and blue green

algae

New trend among Vegan diets

No research confirming how effective it is

No cellulose- easy for body to break down

Concerns with herbal supplements

71% complete Protein

85-95% digestible

Vey expensive

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Vegetarian vs. Vegan Diet PDCAAS value of 1.0 is the highest and 0.0 is the lowest

Whey Protein- 1.0

Egg white protein- 1.0

Casein protein- 1.0

Milk protein- 1.0

Soy protein Isolate- 1.0

Pea Protein- 0.93

Beef- 0.92

Soybeans- 0.91

Kidney beans- 0.68

Whole wheat bread- 0.54

Hemp Protein- 0.46

Whey Protein- 1.0

Egg white protein- 1.0

Casein protein- 1.0

Milk protein- 1.0

Soy protein Isolate- 1.0

Pea Protein 0.93

Beef- 0.92

Soybeans- 0.91

Kidney beans- 0.68

Whole wheat bread- 0.54

Hemp Protein- 0.46

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Vegan Protein needs:

Vegan athletes need to increase their protein intake by

10%

due to digestibility of the proteins they consume

All meals should include a protein source

Complete or two complementary proteins

B12 only found in animal meat will have to be consumed

as vitamin most likely as well as vitamin D

Protein requirement and Calorie intake tend to be Vegan

athletes main issues

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Other Vegan Protein Sources

Seitan: 20g protein per ½ cup

Complete Protein, low PDCAAS ~0.25

Made from wheat gluten (not gluten free),

texture similar to meat

Tempeh: 11g protein per ½ cup cooked

Complete protein, PDCAAS 1.00

Firmer and chewer then tofu

Tofu: 7g per ½ cup

Complete protein source, PDCAAS ~0.94

Made of soybean curds, very versatile, spongy

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Vegan Athlete Example: Mike Zigomanis

Hockey player for the Rochester Americans

currently

Completely Vegan diet

Spends at least 10 hours a week prepping food

Calls it his second job

Consumes lots of mixed meals

Does not feel it is affecting his performance as

a player

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Conclusion:

Look into the PDCAAS of different protein powders

The closer to 1.0 the more functional they are to your body

Milk Proteins Egg white protein, and Soy Isolate

are the most functional proteins for athletes

There are plenty of protein alternatives for Vegan

and Vegetarians

Ex: Soy Isolate, Pea, Hemp (in order highest to lowest

PDCAAS)

Of the Trending Vegan and Vegetarian protein

sources, Beach Pea protein has the highest PDCAAS

It is also not very expensive relative to others

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References

Jeukendrup, Asker E., and Michael Gleeson. Sport Nutrition: An Introduction to Energy Production and Performance. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2010. Print.

Quinoa PDCAAS value

http://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins

Pea Protein References:

http://greatist.com/health/7-alternative-proteins-meatless-mondays

http://growingnaturals.com/knowledge/our-proteins/why-pea-protein/

Pea proteins oral supplementation

Hemp Protein references:

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-hemp-protein-6674.html

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf102636b

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/doi/10.1111/1750-3841.12537/pdf

Brendan Brazier Thrive Diet

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References Continued

Coconut Protein Reference (link)

Vegan life style:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/doi/10.1111/1750-

3841.12537/pdf

Research on Vegan Protein intake

Mike Zigomanis

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