SINGAPORE – Plant-based whole foods such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds contain proteins that are considered of low biological value. This is because proteins from these foods do not contain all the nine essential amino acids the human body cannot make itself.

Registered dietitian Tee Kai Xuan says: “If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you will need to eat a variety of different sources of protein to make sure you have included all important amino acids in your diet. Soya products such as tofu, soya milk and tempeh are some of the few exceptions of a complete plant-based protein.”