Eat like a pig with high quality amino acids: Episode 133

If you close your eyes and imagine a “healthy” meal, is a salad the first thing that comes to mind? 

Dr. Eric P. Berg of North Dakota State University discussed the concept of a 'complete plate' in the context of good nutrition. He explained that a complete plate should have a balanced diet with six nutrient categories: water, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. He emphasized that it's not enough to just have these categories in the diet, but that there are certain levels of essential nutrients within each category that people need to have. 

The body needs amino acids to make proteins. Proteins are essential for many functions in the body, such as building and repairing tissues, producing enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters. The body cannot produce all the amino acids it needs, so they must be obtained through the diet. There are nine essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own and must be obtained through the diet. These amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

He says that consumers are doing themselves a disservice by failing to consider animal-based proteins as part of a complete plate.  Moreover, a plethora of foods labeled as “high protein” may sway shoppers away from foods that are naturally rich in protein and into “crude” protein territory.  

Dr. Berg mentions that choosing proteins with a high Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) can lead to better health outcomes.  He pointed out that some food labels claiming to be “high protein” may not adequately indicate the quality of the protein.

According to the World Health Organization, a protein source must have a DIAAS score above 75 to be considered a good source and above 100 to be considered an excellent source. He also highlighted that animal-source foods often have higher DIAAS scores than plant source foods.

He suggested that consumers can find nutrition information on food labels, which provide details about the amount of nutrients (like protein) in a serving of food. However, he noted that labels may not always provide a clear picture of a food's nutritional quality. In such cases, he suggested looking at other resources, such as the USDA Nutrient Database, which provides detailed nutritional information on a wide range of foods. Additionally, he recommended consulting a registered dietitian, who can provide personalized advice on nutrition and help consumers make informed choices about their diets.

Dr. Berg has demonstrated the impact of a diet with an overall higher DIAAS score vs. a more traditional Western diet in pigs.  Pigs on the more traditional Western diet experienced acne, hair loss, and muscle loss, while pigs who were fed a diet in which beef replaced sugar experienced less muscle loss and fat accumulation.  Dr. Berg discusses the study in depth during his Ted Talk.  

While Dr. Berg emphasizes the importance of higher DIAAS-scoring foods as part of an overall balanced diet, he cautions consumers to resist fixating on any one nutrient or food group. 

He is a meat scientist who has worked to help people understand meat. He explained that the Barbecue Bootcamp was initially started as a program to educate people about modern agriculture. He and his team recognized that misconceptions were prevalent about modern agriculture, and they believed that teaching people about food safety, nutrition, and the difference between grilling and barbecue would be a good way to draw people in. They also wanted to address any questions and misconceptions people had about food and agriculture.

Visit Dr. Berg on Facebook and contact him via email.