Foods High in Glutamic Acid

Written by Joseph Eitel

08 July, 2011

Glutamic acid, also known as glutamate, is an amino acid that is used by the body to build proteins. According to the University of California San Diego, glutamate is the most common stimulating neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of the body. They go on to state that most people do not require glutamic acid supplementation because an adequate amount of the amino acid can be found in high protein foods like fish, dairy, eggs and meat.

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Soy Protein Isolate

Soy protein isolate is derived from soybeans, and it is one of the most abundant protein sources for vegetarians and vegans. According to DietandFitnessToday.com, soy protein isolate contains one of the highest concentrations of glutamic acid when compared to other high protein foods. For every 100 grams of soy protein, there is 17 grams of glutamic acid.

Chicken

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The University of California SanDiego states that poultry is a rich source of glutamic acid. Chicken is also a rich protein source that is low in fat, so it’s a nutritious food that is a good choice as part of a well-balanced diet.

Eggs

Because eggs are good sources of protein, they are also rich in all-natural glutamic acid. According to DietandFitnessToday.com, eggs contain about 10 to 11 grams of glutamic acid per 100 grams portion of eggs. This is equivalent to about two to three eggs, depending upon their size.

Seeds

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Different varieties of seeds contain varying amounts of glutamic acid, although they are all relatively concentrated compared to low protein food choices. For instance, three ounces of sesame seeds contains 9.3 grams of glutamic acid while 3 ounces of cottonseeds contains 10.2 grams of glutamic acid, according to DietandFitnessToday.com.

Cheese

Much like varying species of seeds, levels of glutamic acid found in cheese varies by type. DietandFitnessToday.com lists Parmesan cheese as one of the most concentrated varieties at 8 grams of the amino acid per 100 grams of cheese.

Fish

Fish is loaded with lean protein and so is a rich source of natural glutamic acid. An example of one such fish species that can be a nutritious source of glutamate includes Atlantic cod, which contains about 15 grams of glutamic acid per 6 ounces of portion.