| Essential amino acids and their main sources of plant origin | |
| amino acid | Plant origin |
| Phenylalanine | Wheat germ |
| isoleucine | Poor sources available |
| Histidine | Wheat germ |
| Leucine | Wheat germ |
| Lysine | Various legumes |
| Methionine | Seeds in general, sunflower seeds, nuts |
| threonine | Legumes, only marginally cereals |
| Tryptophan | Almonds, poor in legumes and cereals |
| Valine | Wheat germ |
The daily requirement of essential amino acids is expressed in mg / kg / day and varies according to the age of the subject and his state of health.
To meet this requirement it is almost always enough to take one gram of protein per kg of body weight per day (corresponding to about 10% of the total energy). Specific deficiencies can arise only in the presence of certain pathological conditions, eating disorders or incorrect dietary habits (vegan diet, fruity, raw food, etc.) continued for long periods of time.
The child and athletes need more protein than the rest of the population. However, the increased demand can be covered simply by increasing the overall caloric intake.
A similar argument can be made for nursing mothers or pregnant women where proteins, given their plastic function, are of fundamental importance.
To take adequate quantities of essential amino acids most nutritionists recommend consuming a quantity of protein every day:
10-20% of daily caloric intake (one gram of protein equals 4 Kcal or 17 Kjoule) or 1-1.5 grams per kg of body weight *
* during the calculation of the daily protein requirement the desirable body weight (form weight) is considered and not the actual one. In the newborn, this requirement increases up to 2.2 grams per kg. In athletes and in the growth phase, a protein intake near the upper limit (1.5 g / kg) is more suitable, whereas for the sedentary an assumption may be sufficient. of 0.8-1 grams of protein per kg.
An integration of essential amino acids can possibly be justified for:
marathoners
body builders
vegetarians
subjects that follow a poor diet of meat, eggs and fish
subjects who for reasons of work or professional sporting activity fail to sustain complete meals that are adequate for daily protein requirements
| Essential amino acid requirements in adults (FAO Committee 1973): values in mg / kg / day | |
| Histidine | (8-12) * |
| isoleucine | 10 |
| Leucine | 14 |
| Lysine | 12 |
| Methionine + cystine | 13 |
| Phenylalanine + tyrosine | 14 |
| threonine | 7 |
| tryptophan | 3.5 |
| valine | 10 |
| total essential amino acids | 84 |
| * the FAO Committee report did not indicate values for histidine. Currently, evidence is available that this amino acid is essential not only for the newborn, but also for the adult. Requirement values are estimated between 8 and 12 mg / kg / day. | |
