The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, reportedly eats massive amounts of cod. As you’ll see, it isn’t a bad choice.
Is Cod Protein Complete?
Absolutely. All the branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) are well above the threshold values and lysine is particularly abundant.
Protein Density of Cod
The protein density, relative to calories, is spectacular. It actually is closer to pure protein than I thought was possible. It’s a mere half a Calorie away!
Source Density (Calories per g of protein)
Pure Protein 4.00
Pacific Cod 4.54
Egg Whites 4.77
Turkey Breast 4.88
Alaskan Halibut 5.11
Chicken Breast 5.32
Whey 4.40
Tofu, Soft 8.51
Lentils 12.86
Black Beans 14.90
Pinto Beans 15.87
Quinoa 27.27
Oatmeal 27.95
Brown Rice 48.28
Other Nutrients and Minerals
Like most fish, cod is a great source of vitamin B6. The usual minerals are present but, interestingly, cod is a great source of selenium. Who knew?
%DV
Selenium 52%
Vitamin B6 20%
Phosphorus 17%
Vitamin B12 15%
Potassium 12%
Vitamin B3/Niacin 10%
Magnesium 6%
Vitamin C 5%
Comparison with Lentil and Soy Protein
Again we see lysine is really abundant in cod. Note also the leucine as we’ll take another look at it in the next section.
Comparison with Whey Protein
Whey, as you already know, is a great source of leucine. What we’re looking for in this plot is how well cod does against whey in terms of leucine. The answer, of course, is surprisingly well. Bodybuilders and fitness types are well justified in relying on cod as a protein source.
Conclusion
Great, you’re sold on cod. Now you need a recipe.
I’ll live you with a quick and easy cod dish. The ingredients might be a little hard to source.
