Protein quality

Protein quality is the digestibility and quantity of essential amino acids for providing the proteins in correct ratios for human consumption. There are various methods that rank the quality of different types of protein, some of which are outdated and no longer in use, or not considered as useful as they once were thought to be. The Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), which was recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), became the industry standard in 1993. FAO has recently recommended the newer Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) to supersede PDCAAS. The dairy industry is in favor of this, because while PDCAAS truncates all protein types that exceed the essential amino acid (EAA) requirements to 1.0, DIAAS allows a higher than 1.0 ranking: while for example both soy protein isolate and whey isolate are ranked 1.0 according to PDCAAS, in the DIAAS system, whey has a higher score than soy.

PDCAAS versus DIAAS

The main limitations of PDCAAS is that it does not take into account anti-nutrient factors like phytic acid and trypsin inhibitors, which limit the absorption of protein among other nutrients, and its use of fecal digestibility, whereas in the DIAAS system, ileal digestibility of the essential amino acids is emphasized as a more accurate measure of protein absorption.[1][2][3] For this reason, DIAAS is promoted as the superior method and preferable over the PDCAAS.[2][4] Due to not factoring in anti-nutritional content into the digestibility equation, the PDCAAS has consequently been criticized for overestimating protein quality.[5] Other older methods like BV, PER, NPU and nitrogen balance may not reveal much about the amino acid profile and digestibility of the protein source in question, but can still be considered useful in that they determine other aspects of protein quality not taken into account by PDCAAS and DIAAS.

Due to the difficulties of measuring amino acid digestion through the ileum, a minimally invasive dual-tracer method has been developed for the DIAAS method.[6]

Protein sources

Protein ranking methods and standards
Protein typePERNPUBVProtein
Digestibility
(PD)
Protein
absorption
rate
Amino
Acid
Score
(AAS)
PDCAASDIAASLimiting
amino
acid
Complete
protein?
Cow's milk2.5[1]82%[1]91[1]3.5 g/h[7]1.0[1]NoneYes
Whey3.2[1]92%[1]104[1]8–10 g/h[7]1.0[1]0.9731.09[2][4]Histidine[8]Yes
Casein2.5[1]76%[1]77[1]97.6%[9]6.1 g/h[7]1.19[10]1.0[1]0.93[11]NoneYes
Egg3.9[1]94%[1]100[1]97–98%[12]1.32.8 g/h[7]1.19[10]1.0[1]1.13[13]NoneYes
Beef2.9[1]73%[1]80[1]94–98%[12]0.94[10]0.92[1]TryptophanYes
Oat72,[14] 91%[10]0.63[10]0.57[9]LysineNo
Wheat0.8[1]67%[1]64[1]96–99%[12]0.26,[12] 0.44[10]0.25–0.51[1][8]0.45[8]Lysine[8]No
Maize1.23[15]85%,[14] 89%[16]0.67[16]Lysine[16]No
Rice2.2[15]0.42[2]0.37[2]LysineNo
Quinoa75.7%[17]82.6[17]91.7%[17]0.667[18]NoneYes
Soy2.2[1]61%[1]74[1]95–98%[12]3.9 g/h[7]0.911.0[4][1][2]0.90–0.91[2]Meth+Cyst[8]Yes[4][1][2]
Black bean0.75[1]0.53-0.65[11]Meth+CystNo
Pea88%[10][14]0.89[2]0.82[2]Meth+CystYes
Peanut1.8[1]94[14]0.52[1]LysineNo
Hemp8794.9%[9]0.64[9]0.61[9]Lysine[9]No
Mycoprotein86%[19]0.996[19]Meth+CystNo
Spirulina1.8-2.6[15]53–92%[15]68[20]83–90%LysineYes
ChlorellaMeth+CystNo

Amino acid profile

The amino acid score is based on the prevalence of the essential amino acids and depends on if they reach sufficient quantity. PDCAAS scores do not take into account the quantity of the non-essential amino acids. Despite the insufficient essential amino acid profiles of most plant-based proteins, it is possible to combine low lysine with low methionine plant-based proteins, which would yield a more complete protein.[21][1]

Below follows a table that compares the complete amino acid profiles of various proteins.

  First limiting amino acid
  Second limiting amino acid, especially depending on certain age requirements and demanding conditions for EAAs
  Amino acid is technically complete, but might turn out incomplete anyway after digestibility has been factored in
Amino acid profiles and requirements
Essential Amino AcidsRequired
per 100 g
of protein DRI[22][23][24][25]
Human breast milk[26] Quinoa[27]Corn[28]Oat[29]Hemp
seeds
(shelled)[30]
Green peas[31]Soybeans (Edamame)[32]Spirulina[33]Chlorella[34]Whey[35]Casein[36]Egg white[37]
Histidine1.8 g2.230 g3.455 g 2.710 g2.414 g2.821 g2.495 g2.756 g1.888 g3.3 g1.974 g3.2 g2.660 g
Isoleucine**2.5 g5.673 g4.279 g 3.928 g4.137 g3.744 g4.547 g4.514 g5.584 g3.5 g5.001 g5.4 g6.064 g
Leucine**5.5 g9.623 g7.132 g 10.597 g7.654 g6.296 g7.532 g7.334 g8.608 g6.1 g9.475 g9.5 g9.321 g
Lysine5.1 g6.888 g6.503 g 4.172 g4.179 g3.714 g7.392 g6.138 g5.264 g10.2 g8.554 g8.5 g7.394 g
Meth + Cyst2.5 g4.052 g4.346 g 2.832 g4.292 g4.672 g2.658 g2.178 g3.151 g1.6 g3.684 g3.5 g6.293 g
Phen + Tyr4.7 g10.029 g7.302 g 8.132 g8.751 g7.889 g7.332 g8.316 g9.328 g5.6 g5.790 g11.1 g10.486 g
Threonine2.7 g4.660 g3.574 g 3.928 g3.428 g3.694 g4.734 g4.087 g5.168 g2.9 g5.001 g4.2 g4.119 g
Tryptophan0.7 g1.722 g1.418 g 0.700 g1.395 g1.074 g0.863 g1.243 g1.616 g2.1 g2.106 g1.4 g1.147 g
Valine**3.2 g6.382 g5.043 g 5.633 g5.585 g5.173 g5.480 g4.562 g6.111 g5.5 g5.001 g6.3 g7.422 g
Total EAAs28.7 g51.259 g43.052 g 42.632 g46.014 g39.077 g43.033 g41.128 g46.718 g40.8 g46.586 g53.1 g54.906 g
Non-Essential Amino AcidsRequired?Human breast milk QuinoaCornOatHemp
seeds
(shelled)
Green peasSoybeans (Edamame)SpirulinaChlorellaWheyCaseinEgg white
AlanineVaries3.647 g4.992 g 8.983 g5.252 g4.448 g5.597 g4.609 g7.856 g7.7 g4.343 gN/A6.458 g
Arginine*4.3569.263 g 3.989 g7.106 g13.245 g9.981 g8.253 g7.216 g15.8 g2.764 g3.7 g5.945 g
Asparagine*N/AN/A N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Aspartic acid8.307 g 9.628 g7.430 g8.632 g10.660 g11.567 g11.943 g10.080 g6.4 g9.738 gN/A11.192 g
Cysteine*N/A N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Glutamic acid17.018 g15.834 g 19.366 g22.127 g18.249 g17.280 g19.269 g14.592 g7.8 g17.898 gN/A14.220 g
Glutamine*N/AN/A N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Glycine*2.634 g5.892 g 3.867 g5.013 g4.690 g4.291 g4.269 g5.392 g6.2 g1.842 gN/A3.789 g
Proline*8.307 g6.563 g 8.891 g5.568 g4.649 g4.034 g4.807 g4.1457.2 g5.922 gN/A3.991 g
SelenocysteineN/AN/A N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Serine*4.356 g4.814 g 4.659 g4.471 g4.987 g4.221 g5.710 g5.2173.3 g4.606 gN/A7.321 g
Tyrosine*5.369 g2.267 g 3.745 g3.409 g3.677 g2.658 g3.675 g4.496 g2.8 g2.500 gN/A4.193 g
Total non-EAAs53.994 g58.257 g 60.93 g61.578 g64.605 g59.629 g62.535 g58.994 g57.2 g49.613 gN/A57.109 g
22nd Amino AcidRequired?Human breast milk QuinoaCornOatHemp
seeds
(shelled)
Green peasSoybeans (Edamame)SpirulinaChlorellaWheyCaseinEgg white
PyrrolysineNot used
by humans
N/AN/A N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A

*Semi-essential, under certain conditions
**Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)

Different essential amino acid requirements based on age

While the amino acid scores for PDCAAS and DIAAS are based on toddler requirements (1–3 year olds),[22] the essential amino acid requirements differ for adults and infants.[22] The most demanding essential amino acid requirements are for infants, and as children get older and transition into adulthood, the less proportions of essential amino acids they will need. This also means that many of the vegan protein sources that are limited in one or more essential amino acids, are actually less deficient in essential amino acids for adults, perhaps not deficient at all. The essential amino acid requirements for infants is based on the essential amino acid proportions in human breast milk.[22]

Essential amino acid requirements
Amino Acid required mg per g of proteinInfants[22]1–3 year olds[22]Adults (18+ y)[22]
Histidine231817
Isoleucine572523
Leucine1015552
Lysine695147
Methionine + Cysteine382523
Phenylalanine + Tyrosine874741
Threonine472724
Tryptophan1876
Valine563229
Total mg of Essential Amino Acids per g of protein496287262

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