Biological Value of protein
Since not all proteins are of the same quality, there is a measure of protein quality known as the Biological Value (BV). The BV is a reflection of how well the protein is digested and absorbed.
Egg is a good source of quality protein and is benchmarked with a BV value of 100.
BIOLOGICAL VALUE (BV) OF COMMON PROTEINS
Egg 100
Cow’s milk 91
Egg white (albumin) 88
Fish 83
Meat 80
Chicken 79
Soya 74
Rice 59
Beans 49
The reason why meats and fish have a low BV is that its BV value is measured after it is cooked. When proteins are heated, some of their amino acids are denatured – changed in their molecular structure – and rendered useless. Some amino acids can even be destroyed.
