Animal Sources of Protein

Animal foods such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy foods supply the body with its best sources of high-quality or complete proteins. They contain all the essential amino acids needed by the body to create proteins that perform vital functions.

Dietary animal protein also provides the body with several vital nutrients, including vitamin B12, folate, biotin, and iron.

Some types of fish are excellent sources of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two essential fats that support brain function and normal growth and development.

Dairy foods including milk, yogurt, and cheese provide the body with key nutrients such as calcium, vitamins, phosphorus, and vitamin D.

Animal sources of protein, including fatty meats, whole-milk dairy products, and eggs, are energy-dense and provide a lot of calories in relatively small portions. They’re also high in fat – especially saturated fat – and cholesterol. Too much saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet promotes heart disease. Too many calories from any source can promote weight gain, which also contributes to increased disease risk.

Choosing appropriate amounts of meat, poultry, fish, milk, and other dairy foods in lean or low-ft forms as recommended by the USDA’s MyPyramid can help you reap the full nutritional benefits these foods provide and at the same time minimize harmful saturated ft and dietary cholesterol.

Complete proteins, also known as high-quality proteins, provide the body with enough of all the essential amino acids (amino acids that need to be provided by dietary sources) to meet the body’s needs; these amino acids are then used to make proteins that perform vital functions in the body.