BEST AND POOR QUALITY PROTEINS

Protein is a major macromolecle along with carbohydrates and fats that supplies the body with energy requirements. The protein in the diet provides the essential and nonessential amino acids that are used to synthesize body proteins. Dietary amino acids fall into two categories: essential and nonessential. There are species differences in the amino acids that are considered essential.
An essential amino acid is one that the body cannot synthesize in suffi cient quantities to meets the body’s need for that amino acid. Sometimes the physiological state of the animal determines essentiality. Persons with renal disease, for example, have a greater need for arginine than healthy people. People who have been severely burned may need more essential amino acids than healthy people. Felines require taurine in their diets, while other animals do not. Good food proteins are those proteins that provide suffi cient quantities of essential amino acids. Poor-quality proteins might have one or two of these essential amino acids in short supply. With careful blending of poor-quality proteins, a good array of amino acids is possible. These proteins must be consumed at or nearly at the same time in order to allow for optimal use