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Edible protein per unit area of land is a measure of agricultural productivity. This measure for various major foodstuffs is shown in the chart at right. ^[1] Although not shown on the chart, Fish farming with integrated recycling systems is currently the most efficient form of agriculture by this measure.[1][2][3] Image File history File links Current_event_marker. ... Image File history File links Nuvola_apps_important. ... Image File history File links Wiki_letter_w. ... BIC pen cap, about 1 gram. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... The pound (abbreviations: lb or, sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass in a number of different systems, including various systems of units of mass that formed part of English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... An acre is the name of a unit of area in a number of different systems, including Imperial units and United States customary units. ... The abbreviation BV has multiple meanings, including: Backing / background vocals Bekende Vlaming (Dutch) Bouvet Island, ISO 2-letter country code and the DAFIF 0413 / DIA 65-18 / FIPS PUB 10-4 territory code See also: .bv (the inactive ccTLD for Bouvet Island). ... Binomial name Glycine max (L.) Merr. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice is two species of grass (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and in Africa. ... Corn redirects here. ... Varieties of soybean seeds, a popular legume Pea pods The term legume has two closely related meanings in botany, a situation encountered with many botanical common names of useful plants, whereby an applied name can refer to either the plant itself, or to the edible fruit (or useful part). ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ... A glass of cows milk A goat kid feeding on its mothers milk Milk is the nutrient fluid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals (including monotremes). ... An egg is an ovum produced by a female animal for reproduction, often prepared as food. ... Mortal Kombat character, see Meat (Mortal Kombat). ... A cut of beef. ... A demonstration aquaculture facility Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture. ...

The figures may be deceptive, because some of the edible protein produced by certain foodstuffs is actually not as "usable" as that produced by others. Protein is made up of a number of different amino acids, of which eight are essential. An imbalance between these amino acids can prevent the body's absorption and use of the protein. Because of this, not all protein is of the same quality--a fact which is not taken into account by the measure of edible protein per unit area of land. Different proteins have different Biological Values (BV), which signify the extent to which the body is able to digest and make use of the protein.[4] Although egg is ranked relatively low on the list to the right, it is "a nearly perfect amino acid food"[5] because whole egg traditionally has a BV of 100, although adjusted scales sometimes rank it lower. For that reason, it is often used to set the scale for judging the quality of protein.[6] Likewise, the protein used in soy and legumes--two foodstuffs considered highly productive by this measure, actually have measurably lower BVs (74 and 49, respectively). A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... In chemistry, an amino acid is any molecule that contains both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. ... First, what is an amino acid? Amino Acids are chemical substances that make up protein. ... Biological Value or BV is a common method for measuring protein quality and biological utilization rates of protein for human and animal consumption. ...

Protein is also just one of many nutrients, so it is impossible to use this one measure alone to say that one crop is more efficient use of land than another. For example, soybean would seem efficient using this measure--but they do not supply "all-important fat soluble vitamins D and preformed A (retinol) which act as catalysts for the proper absoprtion and utilization of all minerals and water soluble vitamins in the diet" and may in fact actually block the absorption of key nutrients with "anti-nutrients" like phytic acid.[7][8][9] Nutrients and the body A nutrient is any element or compound necessary for or contributing to an organisms metabolism, growth, or other functioning. ... Phytic acid (known as phytate when its salt form) is the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues, especially seeds. ...

It is also important to note that these numbers are averages computed in the 1970's. Different agricultural methods and improvements will yield a number which is different for each farm and each year. Additionally, different methods of food processing and cooking can alter the usability of a foodstuff's protein. For example, cooked eggs have slightly less digestible protein than raw eggs[10] (but see [11]) and some common methods of creating soy products makes the protein completely unusable.[12] Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution... Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food for consumption by humans. ... Cooking is the act of preparing food for consumption. ...

See also

• Essential amino acids

First, what is an amino acid? Amino Acids are chemical substances that make up protein. ...

References

• John Lobell (1981); The Little Green Book: A Guide to Self-Reliant Living in the 80's. Boston: Shambhala. ISBN 0-394-74924-3