Click here for amino acids and what they do.
9 Essential Amino Acids and Where to Find Them
- histidine – meat, poultry, fish, dairy, rice, wheat, rye, beans, corn, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes, bananas, cantaloupe, citrus fruits
- isoleucine – eggs, soy, turkey, cheese, especially parmesan
- leucine – meat, poultry, fish, dairy, fruit, vegetables, grains, and beans – reduced intake of leucine has been linked to living longer
- lysine – meat, poultry, fish, dairy, tofu, lentils, beans
- methionine – meat, poultry, fish, dairy, fruits, nuts, vegetables, grains, and beans – small amounts may be best because methionine helps cancer cells grow
- phenylalanine – meat, dairy, eggs, aspartame, diet foods, and diet soda – should be limited because of its many bad side effects
- threonine – cottage cheese, wheat germ, bananas, grains, nuts, seeds
- tryptophan – salmon, poultry, eggs, spinach, seeds, oats, milk, soy, nuts
- valine – meat, dairy, soy, cheese, peanuts, mushrooms, whole grains, vegetables
11 Non-Essential Amino Acids and Where to Find Them
- alanine – meat, poultry, fish
- arginine – meat, poultry, dairy, nuts, seeds, oats, corn, chocolate
- asparagine – meat, poultry, fish, dairy, asparagus, potatoes, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy, whole grains
- aspartic acid – meat, poultry, oats, avocado, asparagus, molasses from sugar beets
- cysteine – meat, dairy, red peppers, garlic, onions, oats, brussel sprouts, wheat germ
- glutamic acid – meat, poultry, fish, dairy, variety of fruits and vegetables, tomatoes, grapes, mushrooms
- glutamine –meat, poultry, fish, dairy, beans, beets, cabbage, spinach, carrots, parsley, wheat, celery, kale, fermented foods
- glycine – meat, fish, dairy, legumes
- proline – meat, dairy, cabbage, asparagus, wheat, beans, peanuts
- serine – meat, soy, nuts, eggs, lentils
- tyrosine – poultry, fish, dairy, avocados, bananas, lima beans, soy, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds