The objective of the current study was to determine the influences of dietary proteins and methionine on plasma lipid concentrations. Thirty growing male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets similar in all respects except that dietary protein was from either casein, soy protein isolate, or soy protein isolate supplemented with L-methionine (0.24 %). The animals were fed experimental diets ad libitum for nine weeks. Plasma total-cholesterol concentrations were unaffected by the protein source or methionine supplementation. Plasma triglyceride concentrations were lower in rats of methionine supplemented soy protein diets (76 mg/dL) than in the rats fed casein or soy diet (120 mg/dL, 109 mg/dL, respectively). These results indicate that soy protein reduces plasma triglycerides relative to casein in rats fed cholesterol free diets, and that methionine-supplemented soy diets decrease plasma triglyceride concentrations more than soy protein alone.