Two products can both list 10 g of protein while delivering very different amounts of digestible essential amino acids. The number on the nutrition label tells you the quantity; DIAAS helps explain the quality behind that number.
That distinction matters because the body cannot make the nine essential amino acids. They must come from food, and a strong protein source needs to provide them in useful proportions.
DIAAS in simple terms
DIAAS stands for Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score. “Indispensable” is another word for essential.
The method looks at each essential amino acid and asks three questions:
- How much does the protein contain?
- How much is digested by the end of the small intestine?
- How does that digestible amount compare with the relevant FAO reference pattern?
The essential amino acid with the lowest result becomes the “limiting” amino acid and determines the final score. In other words, DIAAS does not let a protein's strongest amino acids hide its weakest one.
What the scores mean
A DIAAS of 100 means the protein meets the reference pattern for every essential amino acid after digestibility is considered. A score above 100 means that even its limiting amino acid exceeds that reference level.
This is one advantage of DIAAS over the older PDCAAS approach: DIAAS evaluates essential amino acids individually and allows ingredient scores above 100, making differences between strong protein sources visible. The method was recommended in an FAO expert report on protein-quality evaluation.
Eight proteins, tested head to head
A 2017 peer-reviewed study compared four dairy and four plant protein ingredients under the same conditions. The results were striking:
| Protein ingredient tested | DIAAS | Limiting essential amino acid |
|---|
| Milk protein concentrate | 120 | Sulfur amino acids |
| Whey protein concentrate | 107 | Histidine |
| Skim milk powder | 105 | Sulfur amino acids |
| Whey protein isolate | 100 | Histidine |
| Soy flour | 89 | Sulfur amino acids |
| Soy protein isolate | 84 | Sulfur amino acids |
| Pea protein concentrate | 62 | Methionine + cysteine |
| Whole-grain wheat | 45 | Lysine |
The milk protein concentrate (MPC) sample ranked first, with a DIAAS of 120. All four dairy ingredients reached at least 100, while the four plant ingredients ranged from 45 to 89.
These figures belong to the specific ingredients tested, so they are not universal scores for every MPC, whey or plant protein. What makes the comparison valuable is that all eight were assessed in the same study under the same conditions.
What a lower DIAAS does—and does not—mean
A DIAAS of 62 does not mean that only 62% of the protein is useful. It means the most limiting digestible essential amino acid reached 62% of the relevant reference value.
Other amino acids in that protein may be present at much higher levels, and foods can complement one another across a meal or a day. The central takeaway is straightforward:
Equal grams of protein do not necessarily provide equal amounts of every digestible essential amino acid.
Why this matters for Yobeve
MPC supplies most of the protein in every Yobeve bar. It gives the formula a complete milk-protein foundation with both casein and whey—and the same-study DIAAS result demonstrates the strength of that choice.
Hydrolysed collagen has a different amino-acid profile and a separate role in the soft-bar formula. The two ingredients are intentionally combined, with MPC providing the majority and the complete essential-amino-acid base.
How to use this when choosing protein foods
Look beyond one number on the front of the pack:
- Check the total protein per serving.
- Identify the protein source or blend.
- Consider whether it provides a complete essential-amino-acid profile.
- Read the rest of the nutrition information, including energy, sugars, fibre, fats and allergens.
Bottom line
Protein grams matter, but their source matters too. DIAAS shows why: it evaluates the digestible amount of every essential amino acid rather than treating all proteins as nutritionally identical.
In a direct comparison of eight ingredients, MPC ranked first at 120. That is a strong reason for Yobeve to make MPC the main protein source in its bars.
