Essential Amino Acids.  What are they?  Amino Acids are the chemical substances that make up protein.  We use 22 amino acids to make the 50,000 different proteins we must have to be healthy.  Of those 22, 8 are essential for nutrition.  An essential amino acid is one that cannot be synthesised from other resources, so they must be consumed via ones diet. 

Here are the 8 essential amino acid and some food sources.

L Tryptophan - This is a precursor for serotonin and melatonin.  Good sources include chcolate (doesn't that make one happy?), oats, bananas, dried dates, milk, cottage cheese, meat, fish, turkey and peanuts

L-lysine - Lysine deficiency can cause the disease pellagra if it also results in a deficiency in niacin.  Linus Paulling used it extensively in his protocol of cleaning the arteries.  It's also used to treat and prevent herpes.  Sources include green beans, lentils soybean, spinach and amaranth.

Methionine - This supplies sulphur and other compounds required by the body for normal metabolism and growth.  It belongs to a group of compounds called lipotropics that help the liver process fats.  Sources include fish, dairy, and whole grains.

Valine - This helps with muscle metabolism, tissue repair, and the for the maintenance of proper nitrogen balance in the body.  It is one of the three branched chain amino acids, with means that it can be used as an energy source by muscle tissue.  It is hound in high concentration in the muscle tissue.  I could be helpful in treating liver and gallbladder disorders. and might be helpful in correcting the type of severe amino acid deficiencies that can be caused by drug addiction.  Good sources include dairy, whole grains, meat, mushrooms, peanuts, and soy.

Leucine - Another branched chain amino acid. This one stimulates muscle protein synthesis and may be the major fuel involved in tissure building reactions.  If you are undergoing stress, infection, or recovery from trauma, even starvation (especially possible if you are suffering from cancer, or just not eating properly) (yes, this can happen here in the USA), your body mobilizes leucine as a source for the synthesis of blood sugar in the liver to aid in the healing process.  Found in cottage cheese, sesame seeds, peanuts, dry lentils, chicken and fish.

Isoleucine - A branch chain amino acid that is important for blood sugar regulation, muscle development and repair, haemoglim development  and energy regulation.  If one is deficient one may experience possible dizziness, headaches, fatigue, depression, confusion and irritability .  Good sources indlude eggs, fish, lentils, poultry, beef, seeds, soy, whole wheat, almonds and dairy.

Threonine - This is important for antibody production.  Dietary sources are dairy, beef, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds.

Phenylalanine - In the body, Phenylalanine is a precursor to the catacholamine family of hormones which include adrenaline and noradrenaline.  These are activating substances in the central and peripheral nervous systems.  Food sources include dairy, almonds, avocadoes, lima beans, peanuts, and seeds.