Amino acids are the “building blocks” of the body. They play a vital role both as intermediates in metabolism as well as constructing mass of proteins. They are the basic structural unit of proteins. They do not only build cells and repairs tissues, they also form antibodies that fight bacteria and viruses. Amino acids are part of the enzyme and hormonal system and they build nucleoproteins which are RNA and DNA. They also carry oxygen throughout the body and contribute in muscle activity.

When protein is broken down through digestion, the results are the twenty known amino acids. Eight of these amino acids are essential which cannot be manufactured by the body, while the rest are non-essential and can be manufactured by the body with the proper nutrition.

The eight essential amino acids are:

Isoleucine and Leucine are the amino acids that provide the components for manufacturing of other essential biochemical components in the body, some of which help you to be more alert, used for the production of energy, and serve as stimulants to the upper brain.

Lycine is the amino acid that ensures the adequate absorption of calcium and helps form collagen. This amino acid also aids in the production of antibodies, enzymes, and hormones.

Metheonine is the main supplier of sulfur in the body which prevents disorders of skin, hair and nails. It helps to lower cholesterol levels by increasing the liver’s production of lecithin and it also protects the kidneys and reduces liver fat. This amino acid influences hair follicles and promotes hair growth; it also regulates the formation of ammonia.

Phenylalaine is an amino acid that is used by the brain to produce Norepinephrine which is a chemical that sends out signals between nerve cells and the brain keeping you awake and alert. It also reduces hunger pains and functions as an anti-depressant helping improve memory.

Threonine helps the digestive and intestinal tracts to function more smoothly. It also assists in the assimilation and metabolism of the body. It is an important element of collagen, enamel protein, and Elastin. It also helps prevent fat build up in the liver.

Tryptophan this amino acid is a natural relaxant that helps ease insomnia by inducing normal sleep. It reduces anxiety and depression, helps in the cure of migraine headaches, helps reduce the risk of artery and heart spasms, helps the immune system, and works with Lysine to reduce cholesterol levels.
Valine helps in the promotion of muscle coordination, energy, and calm emotions.

Serine is a storeroom source of glucose by the liver and muscles. It helps strengthen the immune system by providing antibodies and produces fatty acids cover around nerve fibers.

The body can produce ten out of the twenty amino acids. The other amino acids must be supplied in the food and failure to attain enough of even one of the ten essential amino acids, those that can’t be produced by the body, results in the ruin of the body’s proteins. Amino acids are not like fats that can be stored by the body for later use, the body does not store excess amino acids and so amino acids must be in the food every day.

Amino Acids in Food

Any chain of amino acid is protein. An amino acid is the building block of any cell, they provide cells with the building substance they need to grow and maintain their structure. The body is about sixty percent water, and twenty percent protein, and most of the rest of the body is made up of minerals such as calcium in bones. Amino acids are called “amino acids” since they all have an amino group (NH²) and a carboxyl group (COOH) which is acidic.

There are two different types of amino acids in the body: non-essential and essential. Non-essential amino acids are those amino acids that the body can produce out of other chemicals found in the body. Essential amino acids however, cannot be manufactured by the body and therefore the only way to get them is through food.

Amino acids in food like meat, milk, and eggs provide protein called “complete protein”, which means that they contain all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids in food such as vegetable sources are low or missing certain essential amino acids. Rice for one is low in isoleucine and lysine. However, various vegetable sources are deficient in different amino acids and so by combining different foods results in getting all of the essential amino acids throughout the course of the day. Some amino acids in food such as nuts, beans, soybeans and others are high in protein which if combined can give the body a complete coverage of all essential amino acids.

During digestion, the digestive system breaks all proteins down into their amino acids so that they can get into the bloodstream, and then the cells use the amino acids as building blocks.

The body cannot survive on carbohydrates alone, it needs protein. The recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, which means to say that a person weighing 150 pounds needs 54 grams of protein per day. A can of tuna may contain about thirty two grams of protein, a glass of milk has about 8 grams of protein, and a slice of bread might contain about two to three grams of protein. It is not that hard to meet this daily recommended allowance for protein, the right combination of amino acids in food can complete this requirement.

Protein as a source of amino acids should account for ten to twenty percent of the calories in a balanced diet. Amino acids in food from animal origin such as meat, and poultry, dairy products, fish and eggs, are the richest sources of the essential amino acids. Most people eat more than enough protein; however for some vegetarians they consume inadequate protein that may not be consuming adequate amounts of amino acids in food and results to unfulfilled amino acids bodily functions.

The eight essential protein building blocks are not produced by the body instead, they can only be obtained through sources that you intake. There are some that are often deficient in supplying what is necessary for the immune system but it can be overcome by a large consumption of foods with amino acids.

Legumes
It is a simple dry fruit that enhances from a plain carpel and most of the time dehisces on both corners. Pod is the common term for it although, it is also applied to other types of fruits. Alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lupins and peanuts are some of the famous plants which bear fruits of legumes.
This is one of the foods with amino acids that is noteworthy for its capability to repair atmospheric nitrogen. It is an achievement credited to a symbolic relationship with particular bacteria identified as rhizobia that can be found in root nodules of legumes. With its skill to form symbiosis, it reduces the cost of fertilizers that farmers place. It is also means that it can be utilized in a crop rotation to restock soil that has been washed off.

Meats
In its true context, meats refer to muscle tissues that also includes the fats, lungs, livers, tongues, skins, brains, marrows and kidneys of any animal. This is one of the foods with amino acids that has such a broad meaning. In human terms, it is typically the flesh of livestock in chicken, pigs, cows, turkeys, lambs and others.
Red meat including pork, beef and lamb comprises plenty of essential nutrients that is important for growth and development. It contains iron, zinc and protein. It even has an excellent profile or a full complement that is required for a human being’s diet. The downside however, meats can transmit certain diseases like an undercooked pork has parasites that bring about trichinosis or cysticerosis. Salmonella enterica causes bacteria that can sometimes be present in chicken. The cattle tissue also has prions that can lead to Creutzfeldt- Jakob Sickness or simply, the mad cow disease.

Grains
Mostly grasses that are cultivated for its edible seeds, grains are one of the foods with amino acids that grow in larger quantities than any other type of crop. It provides more energy to human beings where it constitute practically the entire diet of the developing nations.
Supplying starch, grains are good sources for dietary fiber, essential fatty acids and important nutrients. Rice, oats and corns are one of its many classes. Most of it are actually ground into flour that is milled. Its outer layers of bran and germ have already been removed. This actually depletes that nutritional value it naturally contains but the more it is appealing to a lot of palates.