Complete Proteins

[Morris]

Since I've been watching my nutritional intake for a long time now I've finally gotten my bodyfat to below 10% (lack of persistence for a good while). I'm curious though since I'm watching everything that I eat how to count foods that form complete proteins. I'm from the south and love to eat red beans and rice and never know if I should count them as carbs or protein.

Can anyone help me with more information into this area? I know milk and cereal forms a complete protein also...how much protein are we talking here? Any other combinations that you know of?

[LeafofDeath]

I know that beans and rice together form a complete protein.

Generally, I don't think it's something that you have to worry about unless it's a vegetable protein. All animal sources have the necessary amino acids for you to use them (I think). I could be wrong, though.

[Lost Dog]

If you look up the nutrition info for rice and beans, you'll see that each contains protein already, by themselves. Together, they don't make more protein, they just make a complete protein that your body can utilize.

The carbs, fat, and protein remain the same, whether you eat them together, close together, or by themselves. Without the complimentary proteins, you just don't get all the benefits of the proteins in each of them.

So, you count the carbs and the protein.