Amino acids the building blocks of protein are essential nutrients needed for the human body to function properly and play an important role in the growth and health development. 1 Protein can be found in both plant and animal-based food with differing content of amino acids. Due to health and resource availability of animal protein, plant-based protein has been increasing in food formulations due to greater sustainability and health benefit. Plant-based protein tend to be high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients.
Plant-based protein are suitable for people who are lactose intolerance or individuals who prefers a vegetarian protein source.
Plant based and animal based amino acids content 2
The Essential amino acid (EAA) content and amino acid (AA) composition of the dietary protein source contribute to the differential muscle protein synthetic response to the ingestion of different proteins. Lower EAA contents and specific lack of sufficient leucine, lysine, and/or methionine may be responsible for the lower anabolic capacity of plant-based compared with animal-based proteins.
Amino acid content of various dietary protein sources and human skeletal muscle
| Pea | Soy | Oat | Wheat | Brown rice | Whey | Milk | Casein | |
| Essential amino acid* | 23.6 | 19.9 | 13.7 | 18.0 | 22.1 | 34.1 | 30.3 | 24.8 |
| Non-essential amino acids** | 34.4 | 31.9 | 24.7 | 48.9 | 36.8 | 34.9 | 38.6 | 32.5 |
Values are presented in g per 100 g raw material.
* EAA sum of all essential amino acids,
**NEAA sum of all non-essential amino acids
Essential amino acid: Leucine, Isoleucine, Threonine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Lysine, Valine
Non-essential amino acids: Serine, Glycine, Glutamic acid, Proline, Cysteine, Alanine, Tyrosine, Arginine
Adapted from Gorissen, Protein content and amino acid composition of commercially available plant‑based protein isolates
Protein Requirements
Our dietary protein requirement changes throughout life. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends healthy adults consume at least 0.83 g of protein per kg body weight per day (e.g. 58 g/day for a 70 kg adult).1 Elderly, sarcopenia, malnutrition or hospitalised individual dietary protein requirement will vary from 1.0 to 1.5 g/day in. 3,4
Ref 1 Protein and their function. https://www.eufic.org/en/whats-in-food/article/what-are-proteins-and-what-is-their-function-in-the-body
Ref 2. Protein content and amino acid composition of commercially available plant‑based protein isolates. Gorissen et al. Amino Acids (2018) 50:1685–1695
Ref 3 Protecting muscle mass and function in older adults during bed rest. Paddon-Jones et al. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2010 January
Ref 4 ASPEN, American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. https://www.nutritioncare.org/Guidelines_and_Clinical_Resources/Resources_for_Critical_Care_Clinicians/