I had originally posted this on bodybuilding.com.
I hope I get better/more responses here
I've always heard(on bb.com and other web sites) that vegetarian foods are useless for building muscle size because vegetables have incomplete protein, that is: they lack some essential amino-acids. But i read that by combining certain foods which have incomplete protein you can get a complete protein. for example: Rice + beans, legume soup + bread, rice with sesame seeds, cereal with milk, pasta with cheese/milk..etc.
I read this in Arnolds Encyclopedia of modern bodybuilding(frances moore 1974 In a diet for a small planet) and a few doctors and Indian nutritionalists told me the same (granted these are probably not the best sources).
Arnold says "combining incomplete protein in this way is useful because it usually involves eating food that are low in fat, thus contains fewer calories than in common complete protein sources."
The missing amino-acids lacking in one food are made up for in the other food.
1.Does anyone know for a fact that what I have said is true/not true?
2.Do you know of any essential amino-acid which may be lacking even with these combinations or any other reason why these foods are no good? (pls. state sources if possible)
3.Do you know of any website which has info. on the availability of essential amino-acids in various food sources and their amount per gram of the food source?
Any help would be appreciated.

I hope I get better/more responses here

I've always heard(on bb.com and other web sites) that vegetarian foods are useless for building muscle size because vegetables have incomplete protein, that is: they lack some essential amino-acids. But i read that by combining certain foods which have incomplete protein you can get a complete protein. for example: Rice + beans, legume soup + bread, rice with sesame seeds, cereal with milk, pasta with cheese/milk..etc.
I read this in Arnolds Encyclopedia of modern bodybuilding(frances moore 1974 In a diet for a small planet) and a few doctors and Indian nutritionalists told me the same (granted these are probably not the best sources).
Arnold says "combining incomplete protein in this way is useful because it usually involves eating food that are low in fat, thus contains fewer calories than in common complete protein sources."
The missing amino-acids lacking in one food are made up for in the other food.
1.Does anyone know for a fact that what I have said is true/not true?
2.Do you know of any essential amino-acid which may be lacking even with these combinations or any other reason why these foods are no good? (pls. state sources if possible)
3.Do you know of any website which has info. on the availability of essential amino-acids in various food sources and their amount per gram of the food source?
Any help would be appreciated.
