Essential amino acids
Essential amino acids are the nine protein building blocks the body cannot make itself. Our database records all nine per product: leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and histidine. Among whole foods parmesan tops all nine columns at 4.24 g leucine and 3.59 g lysine; only protein powders rank higher.
Which nine they are, and why they are called essential
Our food database keeps nine amino acid columns per product: leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and histidine. Essential here does not mean more important than the rest, but simply that the body cannot build them from other substances. They therefore have to arrive through food. The remaining amino acids the body can make, which is why they carry no separate column in the table. That distinction is exactly why these nine are measured apart.
The strongest sources per amino acid
Per 100 grams the protein powders top all nine columns; whey protein hydrolysate leads seven of them at 10.382 g leucine and 9.352 g lysine, and vegan protein from rice and pea the other two. Among whole foods parmesan is the richest on each of the nine: 4.24 g leucine, 3.59 g lysine, 2.98 g valine, 2.48 g isoleucine and 1.13 g methionine. Dutch 20+ cheese follows close behind at 4.03 g leucine with 38 g protein. On the meat side, rib steak sits at 2.85 g leucine and 3.13 g lysine, and turkey breast mince at 2 percent fat at 2.27 g leucine for only 137 kcal per 100 grams.
Why our source carries no daily values
For all nine amino acids the target field in our micronutrient table is empty, noting that it depends on body weight and context. That is an honest marking rather than an omission: how much of an individual amino acid makes sense depends on body weight, total protein intake and training goal. We do not fill that field with a figure of our own invention, nor do we carry over a target from an individual coaching schedule — that is a personal prescription, not public advice.
Complete and incomplete protein, practically viewed
Animal protein sources deliver all nine amino acids in favourable ratios. Plant sources are more often limited in one of them: grains run low on lysine, pulses low on methionine. Combining across a day resolves that in practice, and it need not happen within the same meal. We therefore use the amino acid columns in our database mainly to show where the gap sits, not to fill a page with fear of eating plant-based.
What the regulation permits about this
Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 carries no authorised wording for an individual amino acid. Claims do exist for protein as a whole, such as: "proteins contribute to a growth in muscle mass" and "proteins contribute to the maintenance of muscle mass". That is precisely why we talk here about protein sources and not about standalone amino acid products. We sell nothing, and for the entrepreneurs and professionals we coach, the day's protein structure is the intervention that counts.
How we compile this list
We sort every row in the DCRAFT food database on the measured value per 100 grams and take the top of that list. Rows recorded per piece, per slice or per portion do not count, because a value per piece cannot be compared with a value per 100 grams. Products listed under a brand name are left out: their composition changes outside our control, and a ranking resting on it ages without us noticing. Where several products carry precisely the same value, it comes from one shared row in our source data and we name one product from that group. We set this rule out here because a ranking without a visible selection rule is an opinion rather than a measurement.
Frequently asked questions
Which amino acids are essential?
Nine: leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and histidine. Our database records all nine per food.
How many essential amino acids do you need per day?
Our source gives no daily value for any amino acid and marks them as weight- and context-dependent. We do not fill those empty fields with figures of our own.
Which product supplies the most essential amino acids?
Among whole foods parmesan tops all nine columns, at 4.24 g leucine and 3.59 g lysine per 100 grams with 40 grams of protein. Only the protein powders rank higher.
Are plant proteins incomplete?
They are more often limited in one amino acid: grains low on lysine, pulses low on methionine. Combining across the day fills that; within one meal is not required.
Sources
- DCRAFT food database — KILLER COACH ENGINE V2.3 workbook (accessed 26 August 2026)
- Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (accessed 26 August 2026)
Please note: This is general information about nutrition, not medical advice. If you have symptoms or suspect a deficiency, discuss it with your doctor. We do not sell supplements and have no commercial interest in any brand.
Last updated: .
Written by Dennis, founder of Dcraft Of Fitness.