The protein in the food you eat is broken down into amino acids. These amino acids are then used to build more healthy protein in your body. There are 20 amino acids that form many types of protein and some of these are essential, while some are nonessential. Essential amino acids in a food can form a complete protein, while nonessential amino acids can combine with essential amino acids to help form a complete protein. Eggs are a good source of complete protein with a rich supply of amino acids.
Essential Amino Acids
Among the 20 amino acids, nine are called essential. Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by your body at all or cannot be synthesized in adequate amounts. Therefore, you must consume these amino acids in your diet. The nine essential amino acids include isoleucine, leucine, lysine, histidine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, valine, and threonine. Foods that contain all nine essential amino acids are said to make up a complete protein.
Nonessential Amino Acids
There are 11 nonessential amino acids that your body can produce. These amino acids may also be obtained from your diet and include arginine, alanine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, asparagine, glycine, serine, tyrosine, and proline. These amino acids must be combined with other food sources of essential amino acids in order to form a complete protein.
Essential Amino Acids In Eggs
Eggs are a good source of protein since they provide you with all the essential amino acids. According to the USDA, one 70 g egg contains 0.515 g of threonine, and 0.419 g of isoleucine. One whole egg also includes lysine, leucine, histidine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, valine, and methionine. These amino acids help form proteins to build and maintain a strong and healthy body.
Nonessential Amino Acids In Eggs
According to the USDA, one whole egg contains a rich supply of nonessential amino acids, including tyrosine at 0.429 mg per 70 g egg. Others include arginine, alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, proline, and serine.
Importance of Amino Acids
Protein is important for your body, therefore the rich supply of amino acids in your body is a good way to build and maintain a healthy body. The amino acids in protein make up the structural integrity of your skin, bones, muscles, glands, and organs. These building blocks of protein aid in proper growth and development, in addition to muscle growth and repair. According to MedlinePlus, your protein requirements depend upon your age and your health. Adding eggs to your daily diet can be a good way to consume all your essential amino acids for a rich supply of healthy protein.
Member Comments