What are Amino Acids?

Amino acids are referred to as the building blocks of proteins and play many critical roles in your body. When proteins are digested, amino acids are left. Amino acids are also a source of energy used by our bodies, and the human requires amino acids to make proteins to help us:

• Break down food
• Grow
• Repair body tissue

The Ten Amino Acids that our Bodies can produce are Classified as “Non-Essential Amino Acids

• Alanine
• Asparagine
• Aspartic acid
• Cysteine
• Glutamic acid
• Glutamine
• Glycine
• Proline
• Serine
• Tyrosine

The Ten Amino Acids Required from Our Food – These are Classified as “Essential Amino Acids” as our Bodies do not Produce them.

• Arginine ( Required for the young but not for adults)

Foods include: Nuts and Seeds, Meat Products, Legumes & Seaweed

• Histidine

Foods include: Meat, Fish, Poultry, Nuts, Seeds & Whole Grains.

• Isoleucine

Foods include: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Fish, Tofu, Dairy, Beans, Lentils, Whole Grains, Nuts, Seeds & Vegetables (Peas)

• Leucine

Foods include: Chicken, Beef, Pork, Fish (tuna), Tofu, Canned Beans, Milk, Cheese, Squash, Seeds & Eggs

• Lysine

Foods include: Lean Beef, Chicken, Pork, Fish, Shellfish, Tofu, Cheese, Milk, Beans, Lentils & Peas..

• Methionine

Foods include: Turkey, Beef, Fish, Pork, Tofu, Milk, Cheese, Nuts, Beans & Whole Grains like Quinoa.

• Phenylalanin

Foods include: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Tofu, Fish, Beans, Milk, Nuts, Seeds, Pasta, Whole Grains & Sweet Potatoes.

• Threonine

Foods include: Lean Beef, Soy, Pork, Chicken, Liver, Cheese, Shellfish, Nuts, Seeds, Beans & Lentils

• Tryptophan

Foods include: Chicken, Eggs, Cheese, Fish, Peanuts, Pumpkin, Sesame Seeds, Milk & Turkey

• Valine

Foods include: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Fish, Tofu, Yogurt, Beans, Podded Peas, Seeds, Nuts & Whole Grains like Oatmeal

You do not need to eat essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids at every meal, but getting a balance of them over the entire day is essential.

Should I supplement with BCAA ( Branched-Chain Amino Acid ) Products?

If you are a trained athlete or everyday fitness enthusiasts, then you might consider supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).

BCAA which stands for Branched-Chain Amino Acids, a classification that consists of three particular compounds: Leucine, isoleucine and valine. All three BCAAs are directly taken up by your muscles rather than first being metabolized by your liver. As a result, BCAAs may have a faster effect.

Research suggests that BCAA may improve muscle mass ( build muscle ), decrease muscle fatigue and reduce muscle damage from exercise and alleviate muscle soreness.