A protein’s strength or weakness is based on the quality and quantity of its essential amino acid profile for healthful growth effects. For example, Soy protein generates known cardiovascular benefits, while Whey protein reproduces significant muscle growth effects. Protein quality may therefore be judged by its essential amino acid yield per serving. The body cannot make essential amino acids for itself and is therefore dependent upon dietary sources.
| ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS MILLIGRAMS PER 26 GRAMS | ||
| AMINO ACID | SOY | WHEY |
| LEUCINE | 1546 | 2609 |
| ISOLEUCINE BCAA | 921 | 1333 |
| VALINE BCAA | 940 | 942 |
| METHIONINE | 245 | 443 |
| ARGININE | 1428 | 480 |
| HISTIDINE | 489 | 425 |
| LYSINE | 1184 | 2222 |
| PHENYLALANINE | 977 | 831 |
| TRYPTOPHAN | 595 | 244 |
| TOTALS | 9039 | 10491 |
Non-essential amino acids are also beneficial for replacing exercise-cannibalized amino acids from muscle mass. Therefore, the amino acid profile for Soy and Whey may also be compared in terms of their non-essential amino acids donor potency:
| AMINO ACIDS MILLIGRAMS PER 26 GRAMS | ||
| AMINO ACID | SOY | WHEY |
| CYSTEINE | 244 | 869 |
| ASPARTIC ACID | 2180 | 2039 |
| ALANINE | 808 | 230 |
| GLUTAMIC ACID | 3589 | 2683 |
| GLYCINE | 789 | 78 |
| PROLINE | 940 | 179 |
| SERINE | 977 | 180 |
| TYROSINE | 714 | 172 |
| TOTALS | 10241 | 6430 |
These values represent individual amino acid content in SOY and WHEY. Next, compare Soy and Whey to other protein sources: human milk, eggs, and cow milk, beef:
| COMPARISON OF AMINO ACID PROFILES IN COMMON PROTEINS [2] AMINO ACID (mg AA/g protein) | ||||||
| Amino Acid | Human Milk | Cow Milk | Egg | Beef | Soy | Whey |
| Histidine | 26 | 27 | 22 | 34 | 19 | 16 |
| Isoleucine BCAA | 46 | 47 | 54 | 48 | 49 | 54 |
| Leucine BCAA | 93 | 95 | 86 | 83 | 82 | 89 |
| Valine BCAA | 55 | 64 | 66 | 50 | 48 | 82 |
| Lysine | 66 | 78 | 70 | 89 | 64 | 88 |
| Methionine | 42 | 33 | 57 | 40 | 26 | 32 |
| Tyrosine | 72 | 102 | 93 | 80 | 92 | 65 |
| Threonine | 4 | 44 | 47 | 46 | 38 | 65 |
| Tryptophan | 17 | 14 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 22 |
| TOTALS | 421 | 504 | 512 | 482 | 432 | 513 |
PROTEIN DIGESTIBILITY CORRECTED AMINO ACID SCORE (PDCAAS)Protein growth potency is judged by its weakest essential amino acid. The PDCAAS classifies protein quality for humans based on the amino acid requirements the most demanding age group (2-to-5-years) and is adjusted for digestibility. Only three proteins are considered “Complete” based on their PDCAAS score:
| PROTEIN | PDCAAS |
| WHEY | 1.0 |
| SOY | 1.0 |
| EGG | 1.0 |
| Grains & Legumes | 1.0 |
| Grains & Vegetables | 1.0 |
| Grains, Nuts, & Seeds | 1.0 |
| Rice & Peas | 1.0 |
| Legumes, Nuts, & Seeds | 1.0 |
| Beef | 0.92 |
| Rice + Milk | 0.92 |
| Peas | 0.73 |
| Oats | 0.57 |
| Peanuts | 0.52 |
| Rice | 0.47 |
| Corn | 0.42 |
| Wheat Gluten | 0.25 |
AMINO ACIDS ACCESS THE BRAIN, ENERGY LEVELS, MOOD, EMOTION, APPETITE, AND MUSCLE GROWTH HORMONE RELEASE There are 4 main classes of amino acids. When amino acids from the same class are present simultaneously with others, they compete for entry through the blood-brain barrier. A single free-form amino acid will cross blood-brain barrier with greater potency effect. When, for example, Glutamine, Arginine, Tryptophan, Glycine, and the BCAA’s (Leucine, Valine, and Isoleucine) are taken as free form amino acids without having to compete against other amino acids in their class have been reported to stimulate maximal hGH release with muscle growth rate increased effects.
The protein food’s amino acid profile affects its biological value. Protein food sources can be consumed together regenerating a complete protein rating PDCAAS 1.0-score. One protein may have a better effect if it is mixed with another based on the strength and weaknesses of its amino acid profile. Only 3 protein amino acid profiles have been rated as “Complete” or with a perfect PDCAAS score of 1.0. “Complete Proteins” are SOY, WHEY, & EGG WHITES. PDCAAS means “Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score.”
Too much dietary protein above 1.7 grams per kilogram body weight is not necessary, increasing the risk of elevating nitrogen, ammonia, urea, dehydration, and increasing feelings of malaise from nitrogen toxicity impacting stress on the liver and kidneys. More is not always better, but balance is always key.
Following table shows Protein BV and PDCAAS of the foods often found on menus of people wanting to become and stay fit:
| Food | Protein Biological Value | PCDAAS |
| Whey Protein Isolate | 159 | 1.0 |
| Whey Protein Concentrate | 104 | 1.0 |
| Eggs | 100 | 1.0 |
| Milk | 91 | 1.0 |
| Egg whites | 88 | 1.0 |
| Fish | 83 | – |
| Beef | 80 | 0.92 |
| Chicken | 79 | – |
| Casein | 77 | 1.0 |
| Soy Protein | 74 | 0.91 |
| Pea Protein | 65 | 0.69 |
| Rice | 59 | – |
| Oats | 58 | 0.57 |
| Wheat | 54 | 0.42 |
| Beans | 49 | – |
Protein Biological Value and PDCAAS are just showing us that for healthy nutrition, one needs to eat varied foods – there are no 'the best protein source', no 'the best vegetable, fruit etc' …
One another way of testing food as protein source is verifying if the food is source of complete protein – if the food contains essential amino acids in right amounts and ratios.
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