Comparison of protein types by amino acid composition

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2015-12-06

Hi everyone. There is a lot of debate right now about which protein is better and richer in amino acid composition. In this article, I will compare 5 types of protein based on each of the 18 amino acids (as there are exactly that many amino acids in a protein). You will clearly see which protein falls short and which one excels in various amino acids. The proteins I will compare are:

• Whey Protein
• Casein (Micellar Casein)
• Soy Protein
• Egg Protein (Egg Albumin)
• Beef Protein

All amino acid compositions were taken from the official websites of the manufacturers. I want to point out that very few manufacturers publish the amino acid profiles of their proteins on their sites. I won't specify which exact products I compared, but I will mention that the comparison included proteins from companies such as:

• NOW
• Ultimate Nutrition

Why these companies? It’s simple: they provide the most complete composition of their products (including amino acid profiles), and the quality of these companies' products is beyond doubt. In the table below, the amount of amino acids per 100 grams of protein is indicated. I emphasize: this is not per 100 grams of product, but specifically per 100 grams of pure protein. The data is presented in grams.

Now, let's go through each of the proteins and draw conclusions based on the provided table.

Whey Protein

This protein contains all 18 amino acids. Additionally, it is the leader in the amount of essential amino acids, which make up approximately 50% of the total amino acid mass. Whey protein also leads in the amount of BCAAs (isoleucine, leucine, and valine). These 3 amino acids constitute about 24% of the total amino acid mass. As you can see, it takes 7 top spots against 4 lowest ones.

The downside of this protein is that it has the least amount of the critical bodybuilding amino acid, Arginine. But who cares? Just buy it separately.))

Casein

Casein also features all amino acids. However, the BCAAs make up about 20%, putting it in second place for this parameter. But casein has less of some important amino acids compared to whey: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, tryptophan, and aspartic acid. However, it contains more tyrosine, glutamine, valine, and phenylalanine.

Nonetheless, these differences are minor, and it can be confidently stated that casein has a similar amino acid composition to whey protein. However, it costs about 30% - 40% more. Overall, it ranks 3rd in the first group and 3rd in the last group.

Soy Protein

Many disparage soy, yet we see that it also contains a decent amount of BCAAs (20%). Moreover, regarding glutamine, arginine, histidine, and aspartic acid, soy protein outperforms all the others. However, it is nearly devoid of serine and phenylalanine. Thus, it can be stated that soy contains only 16 out of 18 amino acids, making it an incomplete protein in terms of amino acid composition. This protein holds 4 top positions and 4 lowest ones.

Egg Protein

In my opinion, this is the most "unsuccessful" protein. While many say it is the best absorbed, it lacks 3 amino acids (2 of which are essential): serine, lysine, and valine. The latter is particularly important, as it is part of the BCAAs. Therefore, the egg protein only includes isoleucine and leucine from the BCAAs, leading to a relatively low BCAA percentage (about 15%). It also has the lowest glutamine content but the highest alanine content.

Overall, the percentage of essential amino acids is the lowest—43%. Additionally, egg protein is more expensive than whey. Consequently, it ends up with 5 last places and 5 first places.

Beef Protein

This protein contains all amino acids, but its BCAA content is low (15%). I would classify this protein as "mediocre," as it does not stand out significantly in either a positive or a negative way. In terms of essential amino acid content (46%), it is close to casein and whey. Ultimately, it earns 1 first place and 4 last places, primarily due to its low BCAA quantity.

Conclusions

1. In my view, the most successful protein is whey. It outperforms most parameters, including price. The only protein cheaper than whey is soy protein. I place soy in 3rd place after casein. Beef comes in 4th, while egg protein lands in last place.

2. Overall, only purchase whey protein, or if you're short on funds, consider soy. At the very least, soy protein is affordable, and it "forgives" its shortcomings, such as lacking 2 amino acids and having reduced amounts of some important ones. The other 3 types aren't worth buying since whey outperforms them by a broader margin and costs more. Thus, I see no point in overpaying for casein, beef, or egg protein.

3. Some people claim that the absorption rates of different proteins vary, suggesting that soy is absorbed worse, while egg or beef is better. This pertains not to the speed of absorption but to overall digestibility. Personally, I believe that the digestibility of all types of protein is roughly the same and depends on the individual's ability to absorb specific amino acids.

4. Finally, I want to add that the amino acid compositions of different brands can vary, as different manufacturers use different raw materials. The composition of raw materials can even be influenced by what type of grass or hay the cows eat! However, I think these differences may be within 10% - 15%. Therefore, in my opinion, this table fairly reflects the essence of the matter.

I hope my article sheds light on some controversial questions. And for casein enthusiasts as a "night" protein, I recommend reading this article: Is it necessary to take "fast" and "slow" protein, or is it a scam? Good luck!