Amino Acids

Amino acids are crystalline substances, usually with a sweet taste. Chemically, they are carbonic acids and are also the basic building blocks of proteins. The body uses amino acids to rebuild proteins that are consumed as part of daily living.

There are essential and non-essential amino acids; it is said that out of every 20 amino acids, only 8 are essential.

The essential amino acids are:

• Valine
• Leucine
• Threonine
• Lysine
• Tryptophan
• Histidine
• Phenylalanine
• Isoleucine
• Arginine
• Methionine

The non-essential amino acids are:

• Alanine
• Proline
• Glycine
• Serine
• Cysteine
• Asparagine
• Glutamine
• Tyrosine
• Aspartic acid
• Glutamic acid