The body cannot synthesize eight amino acids so one must consume foods containing them. These make up the essential amino acids – isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. The body manufactures the remaining nonessential amino acids.
Animals and plants manufacture proteins that contain essential amino acids. An amino acid derived from an animal has no health or physiological advantage over the same amino acid from vegetable source. Plants synthesize amino acids by incorporating nitrogen from the soil (along with carbon, hydrogen and oxygen from the air and water). In contrast animals have no broad capability to synthesize amino acids; instead, they consume most of their protein. Just look at the elephant and gorilla who are vegetarians - they are strong and muscular.
Synthesizing a specific protein requires the availability of appropriate amino acids. Complete proteins, or higher quality proteins, come from foods containing all these essential amino acids in the quantity and correct ratio to maintain nitrogen balance and to allow tissue growth and repair. An incomplete protein, or lower quality protein, lacks one or more essential amino acids. A diet of incomplete protein eventually leads to malnutrition, whether or not the food source contains an adequate amount of energy or protein.
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