The Study
Evaluation of the nutritional quality of yeast protein in comparison to animal and plant proteins using growing rats and INFOGEST model.
This study tested yeast protein in rats and in a lab simulation of digestion. It shows how yeast protein compares to other proteins in these specific tests, but it doesn't prove what would happen in people.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists fed rats and used a test-tube digestion to compare yeast, animal (whey), and plant (soy, wheat, pea) proteins. They wanted to see which protein is easiest for our bodies to use.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 58 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This means yeast protein is a good source of protein but not as easily used by the body as whey.
- 2It's better than most plant proteins.
- 3Yeast protein had the best balance of essential amino acids (score 0.91).
- 4But it was harder to digest than animal protein.
- 5After adjusting for digestibility, yeast protein scored 82 out of 100, which is better than plant proteins but worse than animal protein.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Food chemistry
Year
2024
Authors
Xin Cao, Hongjuan Liu, Miao Yang, Kanmin Mao, Xinzheng Wang, Ziyu Chen, Mingqi Ran, Liping Hao
Related Content
Claims (5)
Nutritional yeast is a food product that contains protein, a nutrient essential for building and repairing body tissues.
Yeast protein is less digestible than whey, soy, wheat, and pea proteins. This was measured in rat feeding studies and in lab simulations of digestion.
Animal proteins are easier for your body to break down and use than plant proteins, according to scientific scoring methods.
Yeast protein contains a higher proportion of essential amino acids relative to non-essential amino acids than animal or plant proteins, with a ratio of 0.91. This finding comes from experiments using rats and lab digestion simulations.
Yeast protein scores higher than plant proteins but lower than animal proteins on protein quality measures. The lower digestibility of yeast protein causes this difference, according to rat and cell studies.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.