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Rating Your Protein
Several different rating systems have been developed to measure protein
quality. You may find the ratings, which are usually noted on product
labels,
useful in differentiating among powders.
Be aware, however, that many scientists
question the value of these measurements in rating protein supplements.
Biological Value (BV): BV measures how well a protein is absorbed, used and
retained by the body. The higher the BV rating, the more nitrogen (essential for
muscle growth) from the protein the body retains. A BV score of 100 means all
the protein is absorbed.
- Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER): This measures protein quality by
assessing how much weight gain the protein promotes in laboratory animals
(namely, rats). A PER score of 2.5, for example, means that 2.5 grams of weight
were gained for every gram of protein consumed. The usefulness of PER to rate
protein for humans is unclear.
- Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS): This
measures how close the protein comes to the ideal mix of essential amino acids
in humans. It factors in how quickly the protein is digested and made available
to the body. The highest PDCAAS value is 1; the lowest is 0. Some scientists
believe the PDCAAS rating is superior to both the BV and the PER.