If there was a single substance that could be considered
the raw material which your body is made of, it would have
to be amino acids. While there are many substances,
vitamins, and minerals which your body relies on to stay
healthy and perform, no other substance plays as essential
a role in the actual building of the tissues of your body.
This is because the tissues of your body are made of links
of protein, and every protein is made up of series of
interlocking amino acids. So in short, one of the most
essential parts of any healthy diet is one rich in
essential amino acids.
What exactly is an amino acid? An amino acid is a compound
that your body uses to make proteins. Every part of your
body, from your brain cells to your hair, from your teeth
and nails to your muscles are made up of proteins. Your
body can synthesize many of the amino acids it needs to
make proteins on its own, but there are some that your body
cannot synthesize and must acquire from the food you eat.
These are known as essential amino acids. They are termed
essential because if you did not acquire them from your
diet your body would no longer be able to form the proteins
which rely on a particular essential amino acid, and you
would suffer from the symptoms of deficiency!
Interesting, amino acid deficiencies can manifest
themselves in many ways. The most obvious of which is the
atrophy of tissues of the body. Imagine what would happen
to a brick building if a wall fell down but you did not
have any bricks to rebuild! It would soon fall into
tremendous disrepair until the structural integrity of the
building itself was threatened. This is exactly what
happens when you are deficient in an essential amino acid.
You will find your hair becoming brittle and weak, and
perhaps even falling out. Your muscles will begin to
shrink and your skin will lose its luster and elasticity.
Your eyesight will become blurry and even your fingernails
will become brittle and weak. These are all symptoms of
amino acid deficiency, and come about because almost all
the tissue of your body is constantly being torn down and
rebuilt. When your body doesn't have the necessary
building blocks-namely amino acids-it will fail to rebuild
itself properly and you will suffer a myriad of symptoms.
Now that you understand how essential amino acids are to a
proper and healthy diet, where exactly does your body
acquire the essential amino acids it needs to grow and
repair? The easiest way to get a balanced does of amino
acids is to eat meat! Since meat is predominantly protein,
it has the perfect balance of essential amino acids that
your body needs. Any dietary source of complete proteins
like meat, fish, milk, and eggs are excellent sources of
amino acids. This is why most people do not suffer from
amino acid deficiencies unless they are poor or vegetarians
or just do not consume enough meat. Another source of
essential amino acids are beans and nuts. While they are
rich in some amino acids, they do not have the perfect
balance that your body needs like in meats. This doesn't
mean you have to eat meat to stay healthy though, because
if you mix different legumes, nuts, and grains you can get
a proper balance of essential amino acids. The key is to
make sure that you consume foods from all the different
non-meat sources so that you will get a cocktail of the
amino acids your body needs, and therefore your body will
be able to attain all the different essential amino acids
from your diet.
With a bit of discipline and research, you can continue to
eat healthy and enjoy good health and attain your amino
acids from any source you'd like. The important thing is
balance. As with all things good, moderation and balance
is the key to deriving the most benefit.
----------------------------------------------------
Ron Godlewski has written many articles on health,
wellness, and maintaining vitality throughout our lifetime.
Read more about the importance of nutrition and the many
benefits of vitamins in our daily diets in the article
library at
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