16 Complete Protein Pairings with Wheat Flour

Summary:

• Wheat flour is low in protein - about 16.4 grams per cup.
• In addition, wheat flour provides only 8 of the 9 essential amino acids sufficiently - it is a little low on lysine.^[1]
• Wheat flour pairs well with carrots, crimini mushroom, nutritional yeast, pumpkin seeds or dijon mustard to create a complete protein profile. ^[2] More wheat flour pairings and detailed analysis below.

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• Summary
• Protein
• Amino Acid Profile
• Pairings with Wheat 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 wheat flour contains 16.4 grams of protein, or about 33% of recommended daily values. ^[1]

To get the adequate amount of protein with wheat flour alone, you will need 3 cups of wheat flour (417 grams) for an average female, or 3.7 cups of wheat flour for males. ^[4] That's over 1510 calories. Pairing wheat flour with a richer protein source is a good idea.

Full nutritional profile for wheat flour
USDA Source: Wheat flour, white, bread, enriched

Macronutrients in 1 cup (137g) of wheat flour:

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

To have adequate amounts of all nine essential amino acids with wheat flour alone, you will have to eat 5.4 cups of wheat flour (740 grams) for an average person. ^[2]

That's about 78% more wheat flour to compensate for the lack of lysine, compared to the protein requirement alone.

The amount of each essential amino acid in 1 cup (137g) of wheat 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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 3.9 tablespoons of wheat flour (33g) and 2.4 carrots (176g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 5:1 of carrot to wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 0.4 cup of wheat flour (49g) and 1.3 cups of crimini mushroom (109g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 2.2:1 of crimini mushroom to wheat 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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 0.4 cup of wheat flour (51g) and 0.9 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (11g) creates a complete protein profile. The entire range to create a complete protein are ratios of 1:0.21 to 1:2.1 for wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 0.3 cup of wheat flour (39g) and 0.3 cup of pumpkin seeds (22g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.6:1 of pumpkin seed to wheat 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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 0.3 cup of wheat flour (43g) and 3.3 tablespoons of dijon mustard (20g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.46:1 of dijon mustard to wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 0.3 cup of wheat flour (46g) and 9.9 tablespoons of yellow mustard (148g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 3:1 of yellow mustard to wheat 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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 0.3 cup of wheat flour (42g) and 0.3 cup of white beans (75g) creates a complete protein profile. The entire range to create a complete protein are ratios of 1:1.8 to 1:8 for wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 3.3 tablespoons of wheat flour (28g) and 0.5 cup of hedge mustard seeds (33g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 1.2:1 of hedge mustard seed to wheat 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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 0.3 cup of wheat flour (39g) and 2.2 avocado (299g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 8:1 of avocado to wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 3.9 tablespoons of wheat flour (33g) and 1.1 cups of lotus seeds (36g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 1.1:1 of lotus seed to wheat 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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 0.3 cup of wheat flour (34g) and 3.5 tablespoons of wheat germ (25g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 0.7:1 of wheat germ to wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 3.9 tablespoons of wheat flour (33g) and 1.3 cups of cinnamon (164g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 5:1 of cinnamon to wheat 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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 0.4 cup of wheat flour (57g) and 0.6 cup of sour cream (108g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 1.9:1 of sour cream to wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 0.3 cup of wheat flour (47g) and 0.7 cup of caramel (235g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 5:1 of caramel to wheat flour will be complete.

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 wheat flour.

A ratio of 0.4 cup of wheat flour (49g) and 0.4 cup of yogurt (98g) creates a complete protein profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 2:1 of yogurt to wheat 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 wheat flour.

For example, 0.4 cup of wheat flour (49g) and 0.5 cup of milk (120g) make a complete amino acids profile. In fact, any ratio of more than 2.4:1 of milk to wheat flour will be complete.

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