ly ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁limit ing ▁am ino ▁acid ▁content ▁( the ▁essential ▁am ino ▁acid ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁smallest ▁quantity ▁in ▁the ▁food st uff ), ▁and ▁somewhat ▁affected ▁by ▁salv age ▁of ▁essential ▁am ino ▁ac ids ▁in ▁the ▁body . ▁It ▁is ▁therefore ▁a ▁good ▁idea ▁to ▁mix ▁food st uff s ▁that ▁have ▁different ▁weak ness es ▁in ▁their ▁essential ▁am ino ▁acid ▁distributions . ▁This ▁limits ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁nit ro gen ▁through ▁de am ination ▁and ▁increases ▁overall ▁net ▁protein ▁util ization . ▁ ▁Many ▁plant - based ▁food s ▁do ▁not ▁provide ▁the ▁correct ▁protein ▁profiles ▁on ▁their ▁own , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁necessary ▁to ▁consume ▁plant ▁food s ▁containing ▁complete ▁prote ins ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁a ▁reason ably ▁varied ▁di et ▁is ▁maintained . ▁N umer ous ▁pairs ▁of ▁different ▁plant ▁food s ▁can ▁provide ▁a ▁complete ▁protein ▁profile . ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁efficient ▁pair ings ▁include ▁sweet ▁corn / tom atoes , ▁apple / co con ut ▁and ▁sweet ▁corn / cher ry . ▁C ertain ▁traditional ▁combinations ▁of ▁food s , ▁such ▁as ▁corn ▁and ▁be ans , ▁or ▁be ans ▁and ▁rice , ▁contain ▁the ▁essential ▁am ino ▁ac ids ▁necessary ▁for ▁humans ▁in ▁ade qu ate ▁amounts . ▁The ▁official ▁position ▁of ▁the ▁Academy ▁of ▁N ut r ition ▁and ▁Diet et ics ▁is ▁that ▁protein ▁from ▁an ▁appropriate ▁planned ▁combination ▁of ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁plant ▁food s ▁e aten ▁during ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁a ▁day ▁can ▁be ▁nut