{"id":2202,"date":"2022-08-12T12:29:23","date_gmt":"2022-08-12T16:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/?p=2202"},"modified":"2022-08-12T12:29:23","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T16:29:23","slug":"filling-and-frugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/filling-and-frugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Filling and Frugal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mrs. B. Grama<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Facilitated by Shira Markovitch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I was raising my children in Eretz Yisrael four and five decades ago, food was very expensive. We kollel <\/em>wives were all faced with the challenge of feeding our families on a paper-thin kollel <\/em>budget, and we made do without fish and poultry during the week. In fact, we hardly knew the taste of meat because we only served it on the Shalosh Regalim and Rosh Hashanah. Freezers were made tiny. Mine held only three chickens; we had no need for more space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the Shabbos meal each week, we could tell that our children\u2019s bodies craved the fish and chicken we served. We could see how badly they needed protein. I knew something was off-balance, so I shared my concerns with a Shabbos guest who had once worked at a macrobiotic restaurant. She drew the attached diagram<\/a>[SH1]<\/a>  and explained that complementary proteins achieve the nutritional value found in fish, eggs, meat, and poultry when combined with complementary proteins from other categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we began combining proteins in our kitchens, we were thrilled to watch our once protein-hungry children leaving the table completely satisfied. Shabbos would come, and though we all thoroughly enjoyed the fish and chicken, the cravings were gone. Our children were satiated. As their mothers, we couldn\u2019t have been happier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The science<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Animal-based proteins\u2014known as complete proteins\u2014contain all the essential amino acids our bodies need. Most plant-based proteins, however, are incomplete proteins which only contain some amino acids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key is in the combinations. One incomplete protein may be missing an essential amino acid that another incomplete protein holds. When you combine incomplete proteins, you consume all the health value of a thick, juicy steak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of complementary proteins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When two or more proteins from the four different categories are combined, they form a complete protein. Complementary proteins do not need to be cooked together; they can be served as separate dishes within a half-hour period to achieve complete protein status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following are included in each category:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legumes: all kinds of beans such as lima, pinto, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas), soybeans, and tofu (made from soybeans); peas and split peas, lentils, peanuts<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nuts and seeds: all nuts including almonds and walnuts; poppy seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, tahini (which is made from sesame seeds), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whole grains: whole wheat, whole barley, whole oats, whole spelt, brown rice, oats, buckwheat (kasha), quinoa, millet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milk and milk products<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An old idea<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you think about it, this concept\u2014without the health and scientific jargon\u2014had already been implemented all over the world from way back. Ethnic foods, especially those of poor countries, are age-old combinations of incomplete proteins. People instinctively have always eaten the things that just made them feel good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the chart above, notice how the following ethnic foods form complete proteins:<\/p>\n\n\n\n