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thing else and thus miss out on other important However, the increasing amount of osteoporosis in the bones of both men
nutrients! and women indicates that many Americans don’t drink enough milk or
eat enough dairy products to retain normal bone function throughout the
MILK VERSUS SOY lifespan.
The amino acid content of various dairy
products and soy milk, a substitute used for milk, PROTEIN IN NUTS
are compared in Figure 12. Cheese products, Nuts (such as walnuts, pecans and almonds) are also incomplete
both American (Cheddar) cheese and cottage sources of protein, although they can serve well as supplementary pro-
cheese, contain all essential amino acids in large tein sources. Nuts also provide many vitamins, minerals and important
quantities. Every type of cow’s milk from whole fatty acids. Figure 13 shows the essential amino acids in pecans, sesame
milk to skim milk has the same amount of amino seeds and peanuts. Pecans contain lower amounts of eight amino acids
acids; the only difference is in the fat and water than peanuts or sesame seeds. Peanuts have the highest amounts of six of
content of the dairy product itself. Milk is used the amino acids. Overall, nuts come up short when compared to animal
to make cheese; in fact it takes about five quarts sources of protein.
of whole milk to make one pound of Cheddar
cheese. Since cheese is so “concentrated” and PROTEIN IN POPULAR FOODS
contains far less water than milk, it contains Continuing to look at grains as a source of protein leads to the next
greater amounts of amino acids ounce for ounce comparison, that of several kinds of starches. Figure 14 compares the amino
(or gram for gram in this case) than milk. Cheese acid contents of white rice, wild rice and pasta. None contain much protein.
also contains ten times more fat than whole Pasta is made from wheat flour, which has less protein due to the milling
milk, as well as ten times more protein. The fat process. White rice has some of its protein removed in the milling process
provides the flavor in cheese. as well. Wild rice is not polished so more of its protein remains, although
Comparing milk and soy milk, it is clear in some instances, pasta is a better source of several amino acids than the
that soy milk has lower quantities of the essen- other two. However, none of them is a good source of the essential amino
tial amino acids overall, and is especially low in acids.
methionine (number 5) and tryptophan (number Now let’s compare two popular foods, hamburgers and pizzas. Figure
8). It is not a good substitute for cow’s milk, yet 15 shows that a hamburger has more nutritional value than a cheese pizza.
it costs more. Hamburger has more than twice as much protein as pizza (25 percent and
Milk and milk products provide both protein 11 percent respectively).
and calcium, which are needed by people at all When the “right” two incomplete proteins are combined, the value of
ages. Many adults consider milk just for infants. their amino acids almost equals that of a complete protein. For example, a

FIGURE 9: The amount of essential amino acids in 100g FIGURE 10: The essential amino acids in navy beans
of whole wheat compared to 100g of egg. 1 compared to corn. 1

Egg whole Whole wheat Corn Navy Bean

1. Histidine; 2. Isoleucine; 3. Leucine; 4. Lysine; 5. Methionine g Cystine; 6. Phenylalanine g Tyrosine; 7. Threonine; 8. Tryptophan; 9. Valine g/100g
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