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What do nutritionists mean when they deem a nutritional element ‘essential’? Nutritionally speaking, ‘essential’ means that the body cannot manufacture the nutritional component, that it is essential that this particular element be included in the diet. Hence, essential amino acids must be present in the food we eat. The body can form non-essential amino acids using fats, carbohydrates and other amino acids.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which are the main ingredient of all our cells. The quality of any protein ingested and used by our bodies is determined by its unique composition of amino acids. Proteins vary in their amino acid composition; there are tens of thousands of proteins in the human body. These proteins are enzymes, hemoglobin, insulin; they are used to build, maintain and repair; used in muscle contraction and the collagen in our tendons and ligaments.

After ingestion, proteins are broken down into their amino acid components. Then the body reassembles the amino acids, forming new proteins as needed. This way, amino acids from one food can be combined with those from another to construct the protein necessary for the task at hand.

Foods containing all essential amino acids are called complete proteins. The more replete a protein is with amino acids, the higher the quality of that protein. Animal based proteins tend to be higher quality proteins than plant based proteins. Many plant proteins, excluding soy, are low in one or more essential amino acids. In fact, egg protein is the standard by which other food proteins are measured because eggs contain all the essential amino acids. Conversely, the body is limited in how it can utilize a protein that has low amounts of one or more essential amino acids. These low quality proteins are called limiting proteins; their use is limited by the amount of the least proportionate amino acid. For example, let’s say you are baking a cake that requires one egg, one cup of flour and ½ cup of sugar. You may have enough flour and sugar for two cakes, but you are limited by the number of eggs (one) you have to making only one cake. Eating a food low in one or more amino! acids is not necessarily a problem as long as the diet is complemented with foods whose amino acids supplement the insufficiency. This is called food combining. The quality of combined proteins can be just as good as, and even better than, animal protein.

So if your intake of animal based proteins is limited or if you are a vegetarian, be sure you are providing your body with the essential amino acids necessary for your good health by eating a well balanced diet of whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and vegetables. Provide your body with the necessary ingredients and it can take care of itself!