The Best Quality Protein

Proteins are the primary structural component in every cell of your body. Proteins also help maintain acid-base balance, aid in immune response, act as transport mechanisms and can provide energy when needed. In order to ensure protein functions properly in your body, it is important to consume adequate amounts of high quality proteins every day.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of all types of protein. There are a total of 20 amino acids that come together in different combinations. The combination of amino acids, or amino acid profile, determines the type of protein that is made. Eleven of the amino acids are considered nonessential, meaning that you do not have to consume them in your diet because your body can synthesize them. The remaining nine amino acids are essential. These amino acids have to be consumed in your diet because you cannot make them in your body.

Proteins are classified based on their amino acid profile. Proteins that contain all nine essential amino acids, as well as some of the nonessential amino acids are called complete proteins. Proteins that are missing one or more of the essential amino acids are called incomplete proteins.

Protein Quality

Protein quality is determined by both the amino acid profile and digestibility of the protein. Proteins that are more easily digested and also contain all of the essential amino acids are considered higher quality. Proteins are given a score, called the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score or PDCAAS, based on these two factors. Proteins that score highest on this scale are considered the best quality. Milk contains all of the essential amino acids and is easily digested, so it has a PDCAAS of 100 percent. Chickpeas score an 87 percent and wheat scores only 44 percent, according to "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake.

Protein Needs

Your protein needs can be determined in two different ways. The more specific way to determine your protein needs is by your body weight. You should consume 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, or approximately 68 kg, this equals 54 g of protein per day.

The other way to determine protein needs is based on calorie intake. Protein should comprise 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories. Because protein contributes 4 calories per gram, someone on a 2,000 calorie diet would need to consume between 50 and 175 g of protein on a daily basis.

Choosing Protein

When choosing protein sources, it is important to choose mostly high-quality proteins. The proteins with a rating of 100 percent on the PDCAAS scale include cheddar cheese, chicken thighs, eggs, ham, milk, pork chops and turkey. Other proteins with high ratings include baked beans, ground beef and roast beef.