07 Apr Amino Acid Importance

Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins, heavy movers, and action-promoters in our bodies. They are comprised of very basic elements: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. Despite their basic structures, these tiny compounds are very important throughout our body and therefore are important in our diet. 

There are 20 amino acids that are critical to the body’s function. 9 of these 20 are labeled as “essential” simply because our bodies cannot produce them by themselves so we must intake them through foods found in our diet. The other 11 can be produced naturally and are labeled as “non-essential”. 

Amino acids are combined to form long chains called peptides which fold and position themselves in ways that produce functional proteins in your body. Two examples of proteins that are household names are actin and myosin, the two proteins that are heavily involved in the structure of muscle. 

Lower levels of amino acids and overall protein intake in the diet can cause reduced muscle strength and quality of exercise in addition to other issues. This underscores the need for varied and balanced protein sources in the diet that accommodate your body’s needs and give you the fuel to build and maintain muscle. 

Examples of balanced protein sources include: 

• Poultry
• Eggs
• Beef and Pork
• Whole-food soy products such as tofu, tempeh, and edamame
• Dairy Products
• Seafood

Many plant based sources of protein contain some but not all of the essential amino acids required by the human body. Incorporating a variety of these sources as well can help bolster the amount of protein intake in your diet as well as assure that you are getting adequate levels of the essential amino acids. 

Protein powder is also a good way that you can increase the amount of protein in a meal or recipe. Many protein powders and other products on the market today combine different types of protein sources in their products. This allows the product to boast a more balanced amino acid profile that can benefit your muscle growth. 

Amino acids are an incredibly important part of your diet that should be monitored carefully. Keeping your protein levels high and maintaining a wide variety of protein sources is essential to long-term health. 

Sources: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324229#essential-amino-acids