Reading a protein label like a pro

The big bold number on the front of a pack tells you how much protein is inside. It doesn’t tell you how much your body can use.

That’s what PDCAAS measures — protein quality, scored 0 to 1. Whey scores 1.0; most single plant proteins score lower because they are short of one or two amino acids.

The trick with plant proteins is blending. Millets are short on lysine; legumes and dairy are rich in it. A blend — millet plus dal, millet plus milk — pushes the usable protein close to animal-source quality.

So read past the front: check the ingredient blend, look for a complete amino profile, and be suspicious of any plant product that shouts one giant number without saying where it comes from.