It’s funny, Kathy and I have been taking a product called Vegetein now for the past three years. This is a vegetarian protein powder containing yellow pea isolate as one of its primary sources of protein.
And the other day, I saw a post on the Shape Magazine online blog by Cynthia Cass talking about the benefits of pea protein as if this was new information.
I started researching pea protein years ago when Kathy was looking for a vegetarian protein powder. I came up with the following data:
Pea isolate: the protein alternative: during the past few years, plant proteins such as those derived from peas have gained significant consumer interest. Nuriche, a pioneer in the processing of pea ingredients that has been working with pea proteins for 20 years, reviews the principal assets of the pea protein isolate.
Clean-Label Solution
The yellow pea is a legume and has been known for centuries to be a healthy vegetable food product. It has always been part of a balanced diet, thanks to its lack of lipids and its high protein, starch and fibre content. As such, it is, and has been, incorporated into a wide range of food preparations. Pea protein is extracted from the yellow pea (Pisum sativum) using a gentle physical process that does not involve any chemical solvents. The peas are naturally selected (none are obtained by chemical or physical mutation), so Vegetein is a non-GMO protein that is naturally sourced, offering clean labelling.
Indeed, unlike other common protein sources such as milk, soy or wheat proteins, pea protein is not on the list of potential allergens that have to be clearly mentioned on food labels. Egg, milk, peanuts and other nuts, wheat (gluten) and soy proteins are responsible for about 90% of food allergies. The allergenic potential of pea protein is far below that of many other proteins, which means it can be used as part of the formulation of “free from” products. Such products are gathering more popularity. Pea protein is one of the few vegetable protein sources that comes without allergy, labelling or GM issues. In addition, it’s more widely tolerated than either soy or wheat.
A Well-Balanced Source of Protein
Proteins comprise a source of amino acids. Some of these amino acids are essential, which means that we cannot synthesize them ourselves and that their supplementation by nutrition is crucial. The requirements for these essential amino acids, established for infants from 2 to 5 years of age (FAO/WHO, 1989), are the basis for the calculation of a protein’s amino acid score (AAS). This score is a method of evaluating protein quality based on the amino acid requirements of humans and is the percentage of the most limiting amino acid; it enables us to tell whether a protein is close to the ideal profile or not. The amino acid profile of pea protein is very well balanced, with a score of 0.84. This pea protein isolate is characterized by its richness in arginine and lysine (mostly deficient in vegetable protein sources), as well as branched amino acids. With 8.7 g per 100 g of protein, Vegetein is the protein source with the highest level of arginine available. Arginine is required for muscle metabolism and facilitates body mass increase while reducing body fat. Lysine, with 7.2 g per 100 g of protein, is needed to build muscle protein and assists in the maintenance of lean body mass. Therefore, its particular amino acid profile makes pea protein a very valuable protein for sport nutrition and weight control foods. Also, pea protein has a high digestibility (98%), which is as high as milk protein.
Calorie Intake Management
Vegetable proteins have been used for years in the dietetic food sector in weight control snacks and meal substitutes. They are not stored as fat in the body and are not associated with cholesterol metabolism. Moreover, many clinical studies have shown that high-protein foods have a positive impact on satiety by enhancing the feeling of fullness and by increasing the delay until the next food intake. High-protein foods also lead to reduced energy intake during the next meal. In addition to all the scientific background on proteins and satiety, a recent study conducted by Leatherhead Food International has specifically demonstrated that pea protein has a significant effect on satiety.
Broad Range of Applications
To conclude, or protein is a high purity pea protein. It is a clean-label, non-GMO, low allergenic, consumer-friendly ingredient, extracted without chemical solvents from a reliable vegetable source. It can be used beneficially in food products for numerous applications.
To order your Vegetein, please follow this link
