What does bioavailability or biological value (BV) mean in regards to protein?
These terms actually refer to the usefulness of a protein to the body. Bioavailability is a term used to describe the ease with which nutrients can be absorbed, and thus utilized by the body. Biological Value is a measure of protein quality, assessed by how well a given protein supports nitrogen retention in humans. The reasoning to this method is that protein is the only macronutrient that contains nitrogen. Therefore, higher nitrogen retention means greater protein retention. Whey protein is highly bioavailable, and boosts the highest biological value of any protein source.
