The 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey was used to investigate the protein content and protein quality of the diets consumed by adults (≥19 years) when plant protein is increased. Individuals (n = 6498) were allocated to quartiles of increasing proportions of protein from plant foods (Quartile 1: 0–24.9%; Quartile 2: 25%−49.9%; Quartile 3: 50–74.9%; Quartile 4: 75–100%). The Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of diets were estimated using indispensable amino acid concentrations of foods and an assumed digestibility coefficient of 0.8. Corrected protein intakes were determined by aggregating foods consumed over 24 hours and as the sum of corrected protein consumed at eating events within six 4-hour time intervals. Most individuals (51%) consumed 25–49.9% of protein from plant foods. Cereal-based foods represented the majority of plant protein consumed. PDCAAS of diets remained ≥0.87 for quartiles 1−3, but decreased (p < 0.0001) to 0.71 ± 0.018 in quartile 4 vs. quartile 2 (0.96 ± 0.004). Corrected protein intakes in quartile 2 (80.66 ± 1.21 g/day; 1.07 ± 0.03 g protein/kg body weight) decreased to 37.13 ± 1.88 g/day (0.54 ± 0.03 g/kg body weight) in quartile 4 (p < 0.0001). Aggregated daily corrected protein intake strongly correlated (r = 0.99; p < 0.001) with the sum of corrected protein consumed within time intervals. Intra-time interval analysis revealed that the relative proportions of animal and plant proteins changed at eating events over 24 hours and did not reflect the allocation to quartiles based on the daily proportion of plant protein consumption. Various tools should be explored and developed to assist Canadians in effectively incorporating plant protein foods into dietary patterns. Novelty: Corrected protein intakes decreased as plant protein consumption increased. PDCAAS was ≥0.87 for diets with ≤74.9% plant protein.

Dietary guidance and Canada’s 2019 Food Guide encourage increased consumption of plant-based foods as a source of dietary protein. However, there is an absence of recent data on protein and nutrient intakes and quality of Canadian dietary patterns that might occur with increased plant protein intakes. This study compared food sources and nutrient intakes of Canadian adults within groups of increasing plant protein-containing diets. The CCHS 2015 Public-Use Microdata File of single 24-hour dietary recalls of males and females ≥19 years (n = 6498) or ≥70 years (n = 1482) were examined. Respondents were allocated into 4 groups defined by their protein intake percentage coming from plant-based foods (i.e., group 1: 0–24.9%, group 2: 25–49.9%, group 3: 50–74.9%, group 4: 75–100%). Protein intake in adults averaged 63.3% animal and 36.7% plant protein. Where plant protein contributed >50% protein, higher intakes of carbohydrate, dietary fibre, folate, dietary folate equivalents, iron and magnesium (p < 0.001) but lower intakes of total and saturated fat, protein, vitamin D, vitamin B12, riboflavin and niacin (p < 0.0001) were reported. In contrast, group 1 had higher total and saturated fat, protein, vitamin B12, thiamin, niacin, and zinc, but lower carbohydrate, dietary fibre, and magnesium. Balancing plant- with animal-based protein foods leads to healthier dietary patterns with more favourable nutritional properties when compared with diets based on either high animal or high plant protein content. Novelty: Combinations of animal- and plant-based proteins improve nutrient quality of Canadian diets. The source of protein influences diet quality.

The hypothesis that adding faba bean (FB) flour and its macronutrient concentrated flours to pasta reduces postprandial glycaemia and increases satiety was tested in 54 young adult males. Each consumed a serving of pasta made from durum wheat semolina (DWS) alone, or DWS flour with 25% of flours from whole FB (FBF), starch concentrate (FBS), protein concentrate (FBPC), or protein isolate (FBPI). Post-consumption measurements included postprandial blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide, GLP-1 and PYY, and subjective appetite, over 120 min. Second meal effects of treatments were assessed after participants consumed either an ad libitum or fixed size meal (12 kcal kg⁻¹) at a pizza meal at 120 min. Additions of FB flours from FBPC and FBPI reduced postprandial glycaemia and appetite, increased protein content and quality of the pastas and PYY and C-peptide responses, but had no effect on plasma insulin or GLP-1. In conclusion, DWS pastas with added faba bean protein flour reduce postprandial BG and appetite and have higher nutritional quality. The clinical trial registry number is NCT02658591 https://clinicaltrials.gov.

The nutritional quality of common wheat-based foods can be improved by adding flours from whole pulses or their carbohydrate and protein constituents. Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a pulse with high protein concentration. In this study, prepared faba bean (FB) flours were added to wheat based baked crackers. Wheat cracker recipes were modified by substituting forty percent wheat flour with flours from whole faba bean, starch enriched flour (starch 60%), protein concentrate (protein 60%) or protein isolate (protein 90%). Baked crackers were ground into meal and analyzed for their macronutrient composition, starch characteristics and in vitro starch hydrolysis. Faba bean supplemented crackers had lower (p ≤ 0.001) total starch concentrations, but proportionally higher protein (16.8–43%), dietary fiber (6.7–12.1%), fat (4.8–7.1%) and resistant starch (3.2–6%) (p ≤ 0.001) than wheat crackers (protein: 16.2%, dietary fiber: 6.3%, fat: 4.2, resistant starch: 1.2%). The increased amylose, amylopectin B1- chain and fat concentration from faba bean flour and starch flour supplementation in cracker recipe contributed to increased resistant starch. Flours from whole faba bean, starch or protein fractions improved the nutritional properties and functional value of the wheat-based crackers. The analytical analysis describing protein, starch composition and structure and in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis advance understanding of factors that account for the in vivo benefits of faba bean flours added to crackers in human physiological functions as also previously shown for pasta. The findings can be used to guide development of improve nutritional quality of similar wheat-based food products.

Background: Rice and pasta are recommended as healthier than potatoes based on their glycemic index (GI) when eaten alone. Objective: The study objective was to evaluate post-prandial glycemia (PPG), appetite, and food intake (FI) at meals with potatoes or rice when consumed with either meatballs or their vegetarian substitute. Methods: In a randomized, single-blinded, crossover design, 26 (13 males, 13 females) healthy adults [Age: 18–45 y; BMI (kg/m²): 18.5–29.9] consumed isocaloric fixed amounts of either meatballs or vegetarian-substitute balls with ad libitum access to either baked French fries (BFF), instant mashed potatoes (IMP), or rice (control). FI was measured at the meal and at an ad libitum pizza meal served 120 min later. Blood glucose (BG), appetite, and plasma insulin responses were measured within the meal (0-30min), post-meal (30-120min), within pizza meal (120-140min), and post-pizza (140-170min). Effects of protein source, carbohydrate (CHO) source, and sex and their interactions were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Results: Participants consumed 23-25% less treatment meal energy (kcal), 32-34% less CHO energy (kcal), and 13-16% less total energy (kcal) after the BFF and IMP than rice meals (p< 0.0001). Post-meal BG was lower after IMP (6.76±0.15; p< 0.0001) and rice (6.92±0.15; p= 0.0012) compared to BFF (7.19±0.15). Post-pizza BG was higher after rice (6.77±0.09) than after BFF (6.51±0.09; p= 0.0012) and IMP (6.39±0.09; p< 0.0001). Post-meal averaged insulin was higher after BFF (82.16±8.58) and IMP (77.75±8.60) compared to rice (56.44±8.59; p< 0.002). Insulin during pizza meal was lower after BFF (17.14±6.90) compared to both IMP (39.03±6.90; p= 0.0060) and rice (34.21±6.90; p= 0.0336). Meatballs led to lower BG (6.48±0.09; p= 0.0076) and higher insulin (84.54±5.87; p= 0.0406) post-pizza compared to their plant protein substitute (6.64±0.09 and 73.18±5.87, respectively). Conclusions: Adults consuming meatballs or plant-based substitute with ad libitum IMP had lower PPG post-treatment and at a later pizza meal compared with rice. Both IMP and BFF resulted in lower energy intake than after rice. Clinical Trial Registry number and website where it was obtained Protocol ID: 43406 (Postprandial Glycemia and Satiety of Meals With Potatoes, With and Without Protein) ClinicalTrial.gov ID: NCT05610124, registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S000CKIJ&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0000IA4&ts=2&cx=-uf51kf