Eating enough protein daily is important for your overall health. Protein is necessary for critical processes such as immune function, cellular processes, cell structure, and growth, among others. Thus, it’s essential to consume enough protein on a daily basis.

You can get protein from many food sources, including plants and animals.  Some people claim that the source of the protein, whether animal or plant, doesn’t matter. Others suggest that one type of protein is superior to the other.

This article compares animal and plant proteins.

Your body can make some amino acids itself, but you have to get nine of them — known as essential amino acids — through your diet.  Protein sources can vary greatly in the types of amino acids they contain. Generally, animal proteins are known as complete proteins, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids.

While some plant proteins, including pea protein and soybeans, are also complete protein sources, many other plant foods are considered incomplete proteins.

This means plant foods such as beans, peanuts, and wheat are rich in total protein but lack one or more of the essential amino acids. Still, you can easily combine these incomplete plant protein sources to meet your body’s needs. For instance, a peanut butter sandwich is a tasty example of a combination that results in a complete protein source. While wheat used to make bread is low in the amino acid lysine, peanuts are rich in it, resulting in a complete protein meal or snack.

It’s important that people eating a vegetarian or vegan diet enjoy a variety of plant protein sources to ensure they’re getting all the essential amino acids.

So to summarise – all proteins are made up of amino acids, but different protein sources contain varying amounts and types of amino acids.

Rich protein sources

A wide variety of both animal and plant protein sources are available for you to enjoy.

Animal protein sources

Rich sources of animal proteins include:

• eggs
• fish and seafood
• lean meat
• poultry
• wild game
• dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese

Generally, animal protein sources also supply other important nutrients, including vitamin B12 and a type of iron called heme iron. Heme iron is more readily absorbed than the iron found in plant foods, which is known as non-heme iron. Keep in mind that some animal proteins are less nutritious than others. For example, ultra-processed animal products such as hot dogs and chicken nuggets are high in unhealthy fats and sodium and aren’t ideal for overall health.