Proteins of high biological value – What are they and in what foods are they found?

If you are looking for high-quality protein, you should know what a high biological value protein is. The proteins of high biological value are absorbent and resemble the human body. This article describes the protein foods of high biological value and why they are the best.

What are proteins of high biological value?

The capture of a protein of high biological value – Ovalbumin

High Biological Value (BV) proteins have a complete amino acid profile and can be fully absorbed by the body.

The biological value is a theoretical concept used to describe the perfect protein; its maximum value is 1.0. Ovalbumin (the protein from eggs) and casein (the protein from milk) have a biological value between 0.9 and 1.0 and are used as reference proteins.

The foods with high biological value proteins par excellence are meats, eggs, and milk. These molecules are better absorbed and contain all the essential amino acids.

RELATED: Albumin – What is it?

Foods with proteins of high biological value animals vs. vegetables

In general, proteins from foods of animal origin have a higher

biological value than those of plant origin. This is because its amino acid composition is more similar to the proteins in the human body.

For example, meat and fish proteins have a biological value of between 0.7 and 0.8; the vegetable proteins usually range in importance from 0.5, and the gelatin biological value is 0.

List of foods with the highest protein content of high BV:

• Eggs
• Human milk
• Cow milk
• Sports supplements
• Meats (red, chicken, fish)
• Pseudocereals – quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat
• Integral rice
• Avena

As a general rule, it can be said that meats and animal products are the foods that have the highest amount of proteins of high biological value. For those who follow a vegetarian diet, nuts, cereals, and pseudocereals can effectively provide the amount of needed protein in the day.

Table of proteins of high biological value. (1)

High BV Protein Sports Supplements

Whey protein powders, casein, and isolate whey are sports supplements with high biological value proteins. They are all made from whey, a protein very similar to that of the human body.

The main difference between them is their lactose (the sugar in milk) and fat content. Whey is the product that has the highest concentration of proteins of high biological value.

Regarding the branched-chain amino acids bcaa 2: 1: 1, it cannot be said that they are supplements with high biological value proteins. These are isolates of essential amino acids: lysine, isoleucine, and valine. Although they are highly absorbent, their profile is not complete.

Proteins of high biological value in plant foods

Plant foods tend to have less biological value than those of animal origin. However, they can be combined to obtain the same results. For example, rice protein is high in methionine but low in lysine. In legumes, the amino acid content is inverse.

If these two plant foods are consumed in the same meal, the amino acid of one protein can compensate for the deficiency of the other, resulting in a protein of high biological value. (1)

Pseudocereals: buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa are considered superfoods due not only to the high biological value of their proteins but also because they contribute vitamins and minerals. Including them in the diet is ideal for a vegetarian.

As for fruits and berries, they contain a minimum amount of low biological value proteins. The basis of its component is water, glucose, and vegetable fiber. The tubers (potatoes, goose, yams) do not contain more than 2-3 g of protein per 100 g of food. For example, a large bowl of mashed potatoes contains less protein than the amount of protein in an egg.

How many proteins do you need per day?

An average person needs around 1.0 – 1.2 g of protein per pound of body mass per day. (5) Which translates to about 105 g per day for a 70 kg man. When a person plays sports regularly, the value can increase by 20%.

Ideally, high biological value proteins should predominate or combine plant foods appropriately. Furthermore, studies show that the digestive system can absorb no more than 10-15 grams of protein per hour. Therefore, they should be distributed over at least four meals. (4)

Some trainers recommend eating more protein to increase muscle mass. The reason: the concept of the anabolic window, the fact that at the end of a workout, the absorption increases. To date, several studies have demystified this fact. (6)

ABSTRACT

Proteins of high biological value contribute amino acids similar to that of the human body’s proteins and can be assimilated in a more significant proportion. Egg protein and breast milk protein are the best high biological value proteins. Plant foods tend to have lower BV; however, they can be combined to achieve similar values.