Amino acids where to get them

The importance of eating enough protein can not be overstated. Here are 20 high protein foods that can help you lose weight, feel great, and gain…. Protein is an important nutrient for optimal health, but not all protein sources are equal. This article compares animal and plant proteins.

If you worry that vegetarian and vegan diets might lack sufficient protein, you're not alone. This article lists 18 high protein plant foods you can…. A few nutrients are either difficult or impossible to get in adequate amounts from plant foods.

This article reviews 7 nutrients commonly lacking in…. This article lists 17 evidence-based tips to sleep better at night. Getting good sleep is very important for optimal health. When it comes to gaining lean muscle, what you eat matters. This article takes a look at the top 26 muscle-building foods.

This simple 3-step plan can help you lose weight fast. Read about the 3-step plan, along with other science-backed weight loss tips, here. Getting your meals delivered can save major time on meal prep. Good dietary sources include meat, eggs, tofu, soy, buckwheat, quinoa, and dairy.

Amino acids are compounds that combine to make proteins. When a person eats a food that contains protein, their digestive system breaks the protein down into amino acids. The body then combines the amino acids in various ways to carry out bodily functions.

A healthy body can manufacture the other 11 amino acids, so these do not usually need to enter the body through the diet. Amino acids build muscles, cause chemical reactions in the body, transport nutrients, prevent illness, and carry out other functions. Amino acid deficiency can result in decreased immunity, digestive problems, depression , fertility issues, lower mental alertness, slowed growth in children, and many other health issues.

Each of the essential amino acids plays a different role in the body, and the symptoms of deficiency vary accordingly. Lysine plays a vital role in building muscle, maintaining bone strength, aiding recovery from injury or surgery, and regulating hormones, antibodies, and enzymes.

It may also have antiviral effects. There is not a lot of research available on lysine deficiency, but a study on rats indicates that lysine deficiency can lead to stress-induced anxiety. Histidine facilitates growth, the creation of blood cells, and tissue repair.

It also helps maintain the special protective covering over nerve cells, which is called the myelin sheath. The body metabolizes histidine into histamine, which is crucial for immunity, reproductive health, and digestion. The results of a study that recruited women with obesity and metabolic syndrome suggest that histidine supplements may lower BMI and insulin resistance. Deficiency can cause anemia , and low blood levels appear to be more common among people with arthritis and kidney disease.

Threonine is necessary for healthy skin and teeth, as it is a component in tooth enamel, collagen , and elastin. It helps aid fat metabolism and may be beneficial for people with indigestion , anxiety, and mild depression. A study found that threonine deficiency in fish led to these animals having a lowered resistance to disease.

Methionine and the nonessential amino acid cysteine play a role in the health and flexibility of skin and hair. Methionine also helps keep nails strong. It aids the proper absorption of selenium and zinc and the removal of heavy metals, such as lead and mercury.

Valine is essential for mental focus, muscle coordination, and emotional calm. It is also a precursor to the neurotransmitter histamine, which plays a vital role in immune functioning and helps produce red and white blood cells.

Animal-based: beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, cheese, yogurt, milk, eggs. Plant-based: tofu, soybeans, beans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, spirulina , wheat germ.

The essential amino acid isoleucine is one of three branched-chain amino acids BCAAs , along with leucine and valine, that the body uses for muscle repair and growth. It's heavily concentrated in the muscle tissue and plays an important role in muscle metabolism, providing your muscles with the appropriate fuel to do work.

Isoleucine is also involved in blood clot formation and crucial for the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. It helps regulate blood sugar and energy levels by increasing the body's ability to utilize glucose during exercise.

Here's how to tell if you have healthy blood sugar. Animal-based: beef, lamb, pork, poultry, tuna, seafood tuna, cod, haddock , eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese. The essential amino acid leucine is one of three branched-chain amino acids BCAAs that the body uses for muscle repair and growth. In fact, leucine has been studied to enhance strength performance and it's often considered the most important amino acid for building muscle mass.

That's partly because leucine appears to be the main amino acid responsible for activating mTOR mammalian target of rapamycin , a signaling pathway that's responsible for stimulating protein synthesis.

Additionally, leucine helps produce growth hormones; prompts insulin release , which plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels and energy levels and helps promote the healing of muscle tissue, skin, and bones after trauma or severe stress. Animal-based: cheese, beef, lamb, poultry, pork, tuna, shrimp, gelatin , collagen. Plant-based: soybeans, beans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, almonds, peanuts, spirulina, corn, wheat germ, quinoa, brown rice.

The essential amino acid lysine helps produce various hormones , enzymes, and antibodies. It plays an important role in the immune system and has antiviral properties , with some research suggesting that it may be effective against herpes by improving the balance of nutrients in the body in a way that slows the growth of the virus.

Lysine is also crucial for the production of collagen —the most abundant protein in the body that gives structure to ligaments, tendons, skin, hair, nails, cartilage, organs, bones, and more. Experts suggest that lysine, along with vitamin C and the amino acid proline, are essential for the formation of healthy collagen.

Together, they form procollagen, which is then converted into several different types of collagen found in various tissues throughout the body. Lysine plays a role in mental health, too, with one study finding that supplementation of lysine, along with arginine, reduced anxiety and levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Animal-based: beef, lamb, poultry, pork, tuna, shrimp, cheese, eggs, gelatin, collagen. Plant-based: soybeans, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, lentils, beans, oats, wheat germ, quinoa, spirulina. The essential amino acid methionine is a sulfur-containing compound. The sulfur provided by methionine plays a powerful antioxidant role in the body, protecting cells from free radical damage.

Building upon its detoxifying properties, sulfur-containing methionine also chelates heavy metals like lead and mercury and helps remove them from the body. Research has shown that methionine also plays a role in helping to maintain healthy liver function. Here are nine signs you need a detox. Along with offering internal protection, methionine helps to improve our appearance by enhancing the tone and elasticity of our skin and strengthening our hair and nails.

Building upon its detoxifying properties, methionine also chelates heavy metals like lead and mercury and helps remove them from the body.

It also acts as a lipotropic agent, helping to break down fat, and prevents fatty deposits in the liver. Too much methionine, however, may lead to atherosclerosis, or fatty deposits in the arteries. Animal-based: beef, lamb, pork, poultry, tuna, salmon, shrimp, eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk. Plant-based: Brazil nuts, soybeans, tofu, beans, lentils, quinoa, wheat germ, spirulina, peanuts.

The essential amino acid phenylalanine plays a key role in the creation of other amino acids, including tyrosine. Quinoa is rich in protein and contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source of fiber , potassium, iron, and other key nutrients. Recipe Tips: Grind quinoa into flour and use as a pancake base with blueberries, vanilla, and honey; mix quinoa with lentils, ground pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, and onion, form into burgers and grill; toss quinoa with cherry tomatoes, shallots, basil, feta cheese, and olive oil.

Hemp seeds are rich in protein and amino acids, as well as magnesium, zinc , iron, B vitamins, and omega-3s. Combine them with beans for a complete protein. The latest information on nutrition, dietary concerns, supplements, herbs, aromatherapy, and more. Get the Healthy Buzz The latest information on nutrition, dietary concerns, supplements, herbs, aromatherapy, and more.