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There are two main sources of proteins, animal and plant based. The main difference between animal and plant proteins is their amino acid profile. Most animal proteins are complete proteins, meaning they contain all 9 of the essential amino acids (EAAs). Most plant proteins are considered incomplete proteins, meaning they are missing at least one essential amino acid. However, eating multiple plant proteins together can create the effect of complete proteins.

Animal proteins include:

1. Dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt)
2. Egg
3. Red meat
4. Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck)
5. Seafood (fish, crustaceans, mollusks)

Plant-based proteins include:

1. Legumes: lentils, beans, peas, edamame/soybeans, peanuts
2. Nuts and Seeds: almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, squash and pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds
3. Whole Grains: kamut, teff, wheat, quinoa, rice, wild rice, millet, oats, buckwheat
4. Vegetables and fruits: corn, broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, and artichokes

Dr.Layal Safadieh

General Pediatric and Pediatric Neurology

^{(1) REF: National Academies of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients).}

^{(2) U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, 9th Edition. (2020).}