People must obtain nine of these amino acids, called the essential amino acids, through food. Good dietary sources include meat, eggs, tofu, soy, buckwheat, quinoa, and dairy. Amino acids are compounds that combine to make proteins.
What kind of food can you eat to get all nine essential amino acids?
Foods that contain all nine essential acids are called complete proteins. These include eggs, fish, beef, pork, poultry, and whole sources of soy (tofu, edamame, tempeh, and miso). Generally speaking, plant proteins have lower essential amino acid contents when compared to animal proteins.
Can the body produce 9 essential amino acids?
Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body. As a result, they must come from food. The 9 essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
How do vegetarians get all 9 essential amino acids?
There are a few vegetarian sources that contain all 9 essential amino acids, including eggs and dairy (for those lacto-ovo vegetarians), as well as quinoa, buckwheat, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and spirulina.
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