16 Complete Protein Pairings with Flour

Summary:

• Flour is low in protein - about 12.9 grams per cup.
• In addition, flour provides only 8 of the 9 essential amino acids sufficiently - it is a little low on lysine.^[1]
• Flour pairs well with carrots, crimini mushroom, nutritional yeast, pumpkin seeds or dijon mustard to create a complete protein profile. ^[2] More flour pairings and detailed analysis below.

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• Summary
• Protein
• Amino Acid Profile
• Pairings with Flour (16)

A complete protein is a protein source that "contains adequate proportions of the nine essential amino acids" that our body can not produce on its own.

Relatively low in protein, a single cup of flour contains 12.9 grams of protein, or about 26% of recommended daily values. ^[1]

To get the adequate amount of protein with flour alone, you will need 3.9 cups of flour (484 grams) for an average female, or 4.6 cups of flour for males. ^[4] That's over 1760 calories. Pairing flour with a richer protein source is a good idea.

Full nutritional profile for flour
USDA Source: Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched

Macronutrients in 1 cup (125g) of flour:

Proportionally, flour does contain abundant amounts of 8 out of the nine essential amino acids. However, flour is a little short on lysine.^[1]

To have adequate amounts of all nine essential amino acids with flour alone, you will have to eat 6 cups of flour (750 grams) for an average person. ^[2]

That's about 55% more flour to compensate for the lack of lysine, compared to the protein requirement alone.

The amount of each essential amino acid in 1 cup (125g) of flour:

1. Carrots
2. Crimini Mushroom
3. Nutritional Yeast
4. Pumpkin Seeds
5. Dijon Mustard
6. Yellow Mustard
7. White Beans
8. Hedge Mustard Seeds
9. Avocado
10. Lotus Seeds
11. Wheat Germ
12. Cinnamon

1. Sour Cream
2. Caramel
3. Yogurt
4. Milk

Low in protein, carrot is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.3 cup of flour (42g) and 2.3 carrots (169g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 4:1 of carrot to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for carrots
USDA Source: Carrots, raw

Crimini mushroom is a reasonable source of supplementary protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.5 cup of flour (57g) and 1.1 cups of crimini mushroom (97g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 1.7:1 of crimini mushroom to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for crimini mushroom
USDA Source: Mushrooms, brown, italian, or crimini, raw

A great source of protein, nutritional yeast is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.5 cup of flour (60g) and 0.8 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (10g) creates a complete protein profile. The entire range to create a complete protein are ratios of 1:0.16 to 1:1.1 for flour to nutritional yeast by weight.

Full nutritional profile for nutritional yeast
USDA Source: Leavening agents, yeast, baker's, active dry

Pumpkin seed is a reasonable source of supplementary protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.4 cup of flour (48g) and 0.3 cup of pumpkin seeds (21g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.43:1 of pumpkin seed to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for pumpkin seeds
USDA Source: Seeds, pumpkin and squash seeds, whole, roasted, without salt

A great source of protein, dijon mustard is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.4 cup of flour (54g) and 3.2 tablespoons of dijon mustard (19g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.36:1 of dijon mustard to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for dijon mustard
USDA Source: Spices, mustard seed, ground

Yellow mustard is a reasonable source of supplementary protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.5 cup of flour (60g) and 9.9 tablespoons of yellow mustard (149g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 2.5:1 of yellow mustard to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for yellow mustard
USDA Source: Mustard, prepared, yellow

A reasonable source of supplementary protein, white bean is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.4 cup of flour (52g) and 0.3 cup of white beans (73g) creates a complete protein profile. The entire range to create a complete protein are ratios of 1:1.4 to 1:4 for flour to white bean by weight.

Full nutritional profile for white beans
USDA Source: Beans, white, mature seeds, canned

Hedge mustard seed is a reasonable source of supplementary protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.3 cup of flour (35g) and 0.4 cup of hedge mustard seeds (32g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.9:1 of hedge mustard seed to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for hedge mustard seeds
USDA Source: Seeds, sisymbrium sp. seeds, whole, dried

Low in protein, avocado is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.4 cup of flour (46g) and 2 avocado (272g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 6:1 of avocado to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for avocado
USDA Source: Avocados, raw, California

Lotus seed is a reasonable source of supplementary protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.3 cup of flour (42g) and 1.1 cups of lotus seeds (34g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.8:1 of lotus seed to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for lotus seeds
USDA Source: Seeds, lotus seeds, dried

A great source of protein, wheat germ is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.3 cup of flour (42g) and 3.3 tablespoons of wheat germ (23g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.6:1 of wheat germ to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for wheat germ
USDA Source: Wheat germ, crude

Cinnamon is a reasonable source of supplementary protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.3 cup of flour (40g) and 1.2 cups of cinnamon (152g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 4:1 of cinnamon to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for cinnamon
USDA Source: Spices, cinnamon, ground

A reasonable source of supplementary protein, sour cream is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.5 cup of flour (66g) and 0.5 cup of sour cream (95g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 1.4:1 of sour cream to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for sour cream
USDA Source: Cream, sour, cultured

Caramel is low in protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.5 cup of flour (60g) and 0.7 cup of caramel (228g) make a complete amino acids profile. The entire range to create a complete protein are ratios of 1:4 to 1:27 for flour to caramel by weight.

Full nutritional profile for caramel
USDA Source: Toppings, butterscotch or caramel

A reasonable source of supplementary protein, yogurt is high in lysine, which is complementary to flour.

A ratio of 0.5 cup of flour (63g) and 0.4 cup of yogurt (97g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 1.5:1 of yogurt to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for yogurt
USDA Source: Yogurt, plain, whole milk

Milk is a reasonable source of supplementary protein, and is high in lysine, complementing the profile of flour.

For example, 0.5 cup of flour (63g) and 0.5 cup of milk (117g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 1.9:1 of milk to flour will be complete.

Full nutritional profile for milk
USDA Source: Milk, reduced fat, fluid, 2% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D