Food Proteins

Proteins: Quality and Quantity

Food protein sources are many; the foods that contain the most are: eggs, milk + dairy products and all types of meat (including fishery products); subsequently we find legumes and cereals; finally, there are scarce quantities of proteins in vegetables and fruit.

From a qualitative point of view, it is possible to evaluate the protein intake on the basis of the intake of essential amino acids; this classification takes into account the biological value of food proteins. Some of them are complete, such as those of egg or whey and are defined as having a high biological value; others are scarce in one or more essential amino acids and are said to have medium biological value (such as those of cereals and legumes); finally, some have an amino acid composition that is very different from that of human structural proteins and therefore are defined as having a low biological value, such as those of vegetables and fruit.