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Amino Acids: Protein's Essential Parts
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They link together, like a chain, to form different proteins
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When you digest proteins they are broken into amino acids. These amino acids are then recombined to make new proteins for growth and to repair your body.
There are 22 amino acids which link to make thousands of proteins, 9 are essential and 13 are nonessential.
Some ads suggest that amino acid and protein supplements build muscle. They do not build muscle alone.
Meats are complete protein foods because they contain all 9 essential amino acids.
Plant foods like grains, seeds, vegetables, and beans are incomplete proteins because they do not contain all 9 essential amino acids.
Combining plant foods with other plant or dairy products can give you a complete protein.
For example, a peanut butter sandwich, which combines grains and legumes, is a complete protein food.
