Mitch Nisley, a Ph.D. student studying monogastric nutrition, and Dr. Nicholas Gabler, Professor of Swine Nutrition at Iowa State University, summarized a 2019 peer-reviewed article about the amino acid contents of various pork cuts. The original article, authored by Dr. Hannah Bailey and her associates at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and North Dakota State University, demonstrates the excellent source of essential amino acids pork can be in the human diet.
Major Finding
Pork products like smoked bacon, cured ham, and pork loins are considered high-quality protein because they have “excellent” Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Scores (DIAAS). Pork ranks among the top protein sources, alongside beef, chicken, and whey protein isolates in protein digestibility and amino acid profile. Further, smoked bacon and alternatively cured ham amino acid profiles were comparable to published values in other reputable databases for various uncooked bacon cuts.
Why It Matters
Proteins are made up of amino acids. During digestion, proteins need to be digested into amino acids so humans can absorb them into the bloodstream. Once absorbed, dietary amino acids can be used for building proteins in the body.
However, not all dietary protein sources are equal. Their quality can vary significantly based on their disposable and indispensable amino acid profile and digestibility efficiency. The DIAAS assesses 1) whether the protein source contains all essential amino acids in adequate amounts required for human health, and 2) how well the protein is digested and absorbed from the gut.
Proteins with DIAAS values greater than 100 are considered “excellent” protein sources. Values below 100 indicate that protein sources may not fully meet amino acid needs. Animal protein sources such as eggs, milk, and meat typically have high DIAAS values, while plant-based proteins typically score lower, depending on the source and how well they meet amino acid needs.
Altogether, the study results support the inclusion of pork in a balanced and nutritious diet to contribute to the indispensable amino acids needed to support daily recommended dietary requirements.
How the Research Was Conducted
Researchers from the University of Illinois and North Dakota State University worked together to evaluate the DIAAS of various pork products. To do this, they fed pigs diets containing various protein sources, collected distal small intestinal contents, analyzed the diets and contents for amino acid concentrations, and calculated nutrient digestibility coefficients and DIASS scores. The pig has been accepted as the best model to evaluate DIAAS scores because of its similarity to the human digestive system.
Learn More
To learn more about essential amino acids and pork, read the full peer-reviewed article.