Avocados don't contain all the amino acids used by your body to build protein-based structures, but they contain all the essential ones. Essential amino acids must be obtained from the diet, whereas your body can make the non-essential types.
Which foods are complete proteins? Animal proteins are complete, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy. There are also a few plant-based sources of complete protein, including: Quinoa.
Tofu, tempeh, and edamame
Soybeans are considered a whole source of protein. This means that they provide your body all the essential amino acids it needs.
The casein in Greek yogurt is a complete protein because it contains all nine essential amino acids: methionine, lysine, isoleucine, histidine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, phenylalanine and leucine.
Grains and legumes are called complementary proteins because when you combine them, you get all of the essential amino acids. Nuts and seeds are also complementary to legumes because they contain tryptophan, methionine, and cystine.
Incomplete Protein Foods. According to Harvard Health Publishing, all animal-based foods, including meat, dairy, and eggs, contain complete protein. The majority of plant-based protein sources, such as whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms, are incomplete.
Animal Protein & Plant Protein
Plant proteins are considered incomplete because they do not have all of the essentials. But plant-based foods like legumes (including beans and peanuts), nuts, seeds, grains and vegetables still have varying amounts of protein.
Surprisingly, potatoes offer a complete protein if you eat enough, over 10 per day. But you would ultimately encounter deficiencies in vitamins A, B12 and E, and calcium and selenium if you keep to just potatoes.
“Usually, I would recommend that ½ to one avocado a day is reasonable,” she says. She notes that since avocados are a pretty significant source of healthy monounsaturated fat, they make you more satisfied and are harder to overdo because they tend to fill you up.
Researchers found overweight adults who ate avocado as part of breakfast showed improved blood flow, which can influence things like your blood pressure. They also found better after-meal blood sugar and blood-fat levels compared to those who ate the standard meal.
In fact, researchers have found that avocados may protect the heart in a similar way as olive oil and nuts do in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. A 2018 analysis of 10 studies found an increase in HDL (protective cholesterol) in people who consumed an average of 1 to 3.7 avocados daily.
#1 – Grains. Grains are a great way to provide foundational nutrients and calories to a survival diet. Including a variety of grains will diversify the nutrients in your diet. Some grains are easier to prepare than others.
Nut butter is also a source of protein, which is essential for building and repairing muscles. Although peanut butter is not a complete protein — meaning it does not contain all of the essential amino acids the body needs — it does count toward a person's daily protein intake.
Like most other plant protein sources, chickpeas are not a complete protein and do not contain all nine essential amino acids. Chickpeas are rich in some essential amino acids, including lysine and arginine, but lack the sulfur-containing amino acids, methionine and cystine.
Seeds are low-calorie foods that are rich in fiber and heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds are a complete source of protein that contain 2 g of protein per tablespoon.
Guava. Guava is one of the most protein-rich fruits around. You'll get a whopping 4.2 grams of the stuff in every cup. This tropical fruit is also high in vitamin C and fiber.
Vegetables high in protein include lima beans, bean sprouts, green peas, spinach, sweet corn, asparagus, artichokes, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and broccoli. For more vegetarian and vegan sources of protein see the articles on beans and legumes highest in protein, and grains high in protein, and high protein nuts.