When living with a chronic condition, choosing the best protein sources becomes more than a nutrition choice, it’s a lifeline for your energy, immunity, and gut health.

As a scientist, functional nutritionist, and someone who has seen the power of food to rebuild health, I’m always digging into emerging research that changes the way we nourish. One new paper published in the Journal of Nutrition has completely reframed how we assess protein quality.

And spoiler alert: it’s not just about how much protein you eat, but how well you absorb and use it.

Introducing DIAAS: The New Gold Standard for Protein Quality

The paper explores a concept called DIAAS, or Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score. It’s a fancy term, but here’s the B.A.D. breakdown:

• DIAAS measures how well each essential amino acid is actually absorbed and used by your body – not just what’s listed on the label.
• Unlike outdated protein quality methods (looking at you, PDCAAS), DIAAS gives a clearer, more realistic picture of how protein supports your body’s repair systems, immunity, and metabolic health.

Why is this a big deal?

Because when you’re dealing with chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, fatigue, digestive issues, or hormonal imbalance, your need for efficient, absorbable protein is even higher and your ability to digest it may be compromised.

Chronic Conditions + Protein Absorption: What You Haven’t Been Told

Let’s say you’re living with:

• Type 2 diabetes – where inflammation affects muscle breakdown and insulin regulation
• IBS or leaky gut – where your digestive tract may not fully absorb nutrients
• Autoimmunity or menopause – where protein is crucial for hormone metabolism and tissue healing

In these cases, just eating protein isn’t enough. You need:

✅ The right balance of amino acids
✅ From the right combinations of foods
✅ In forms that your gut can actually break down and use

Best Protein Sources According to DIAAS

• Eggs, whey, and animal proteins rank at the top: they’re complete, highly digestible, and easy for your gut to absorb
• Plant proteins like lentils, oats, and chickpeas vary but when combined properly (e.g., grains + legumes), their DIAAS score improves significantly.
• Fermented or sprouted plant proteins may have better bioavailability – more research is coming here!

EAA density (%EAAs/kcals) and mean EAA true ileal digestibility of common dietary protein sources. A high EAA density means that the food provides a higher proportion of EAAs per kcal. Mycoprotein represents mycelium-derived Quorn™ pieces. Data derived from refs: 37,47,55,59,62.

What I Recommend in My B.A.D. Nutrition Practice

If you’re living with a chronic condition, my protein philosophy is:

1. Digestibility first – choose proteins that are kind to your gut.
2. Pair plants smartly – quinoa + beans, oats + seeds, rice + lentils.
3. Get enough – don’t undereat protein, especially in midlife or when healing.
4. Support digestion – enzymes, zinc, chewing thoroughly, and reducing inflammation make all the difference.

Real-Life Swap Ideas

Final Thought from the B.A.D. Life

Balanced. Authentic. Deserving.

You deserve to feel strong, sharp, and satisfied after meals. And that starts with understanding that not all protein is created equal, especially when your body is working hard behind the scenes to manage inflammation, heal tissues, or rebalance hormones.

If you’re ready to eat with purpose and rebuild your energy from the inside out, join my nutrition coaching programme or explore my free resources inside the B.A.D. Community.

Relationship between protein quality and quantity (figure adapted from ref: 126). Protein intake at the level of the RDA (0.8 g/kg/day) necessitates higher protein quality to achieve the benefits associated with EAA intake. As total daily protein intake increases, EAA intakes can be achieved with the inclusion of lower quality protein sources.

REFERENCE:

Baum, J.I., Han, M., Phillips, S.M., Mathai, J.K., & Wolfe, R.R. (2024). Understanding Dietary Protein Quality: DIAAS and Beyond. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 134, 109484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109484