Focused on plant proteins

Can plant protein level up with the animal protein?

Single sources of plant protein do not match such significant biological value like some specific sources of the animal protein, but in many cases plant protein levels up with animal protein and it does even surpass it in some respects. To assess till which extent proteins are significant to human body, expert public had been using the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) since the 90’s. However, in 2013 the method was adjusted and specified in terms of the protein quality, and newly we have been working with the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS).

The demand for singular amino acids in our diet is based on how significantly this specific amino acid is related to different body processes. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) created a recommendation for the essential amino acids in our diet with regards to currently known body processes. Nevertheless, it is possible that these recommendations will change based on new knowledge about other body processes to which the essential amino acids are related. An observant reader may have noticed that we repeatedly mention only essential amino acids. The reason behind that is that non-essential amino acids can be sufficiently produced by our bodies (synthetized) – up to 300 g per day! The focus is on such essential amino acid that is the limiting one among others in the spectrum of essential amino acids. Right this essential amino acid affects the level of protein synthesis in our body.

Protein denaturation

We should bear in mind that the level of amino acids in foodstuff (in protein) may also be affected by the heat treatment, potentially other food processing. The heat or other treatment may decrease the level of some amino acids to such an extent that another amino acid becomes the limiting one. Regarding this, whey protein has a significant disadvantage since it is regarded thermolabile and is not suitable for any heat treatment!

The most significantly nutritious proteins

If we return to evaluating proteins based on the latest DIAAS method (see the table), we find out that one of the most nutritious proteins is milk protein concentrate (1,18), where the sulphur amino acid is the limiting one, followed by a hard-boiled egg (1,13), with a limiting amino acid histidine. The most highly evaluated plant protein is the soy protein (0,9), chickpea protein (0,83), and pea protein (0,82) that have shared limiting sulphur amino acids.

Objective studies show higher deamination of amino acids after consuming plant protein in comparison to milk protein, 8 hours after consumption by a healthy individual. Similar conclusions were reached based on tests on animals that regularly consume this animal protein in their diet. From that we understand that if we consumed predominantly one plant protein, or if we combined several plant proteins with the same limiting amino acid during the day, our body would have a worse starting point for its own protein synthesis than after consuming milk proteins, or proteins from eggs. But if we select such plant proteins that complement each other with their amino acid spectrum, the peripheral availability of plant protein amino acids will increase, and vegan diet can become nutritiously more significant. We tried to optimize this amino acid complementation in our new protein DELICIOUS VEGAN PROTEIN.

Vegan protein

Plant proteins are more easily digestible and more delicate to our digestive system than for example fat meat. This fact definitely speaks in favour of plant-based protein consumption. Nevertheless, to level up with the speed of digesting with for example whey protein, the plant proteins must be accompanied by digestive enzymes. We focused on easy digestion with our DELICIOUS VEGAN PROTEIN and enriched it with a multispectral digestive enzymes DigeZyme®.

A suitable combination of plant-based proteins, digestive enzymes, and further vitamins and minerals that are often deficit in vegan diet make this product an excellent aid not only for sportsmen who care about their own ecological footprint. This product is suitable for a weight-loss regime and thanks to plant-based omega 3 fatty acids positively affects the cholesterol level in the body.

I Berrazaga – 2019
Gaudichon C 1999
Author: Michal Tůček, NUTREND product manager