Glutamine also known as L-glutamine is a non-essential amino acid that is produced within the body. Your body produces enough glutamine to keep you fit and healthy but when your physical goals and levels rise you need to consume glutamine externally in the form of food that are rich in glutamine or supplements. Glutamine is generally found in the skeletal muscle and lungs. The human body requires 0.3g/kg/day.
Glutamine is generally found in foods that are rich in lean protein and also in some vegetarian foods.
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List of glutamine-rich foods
It is very important for you to introduce glutamine-rich foods into your diet to maintain strength and stamina especially if you are someone who’s involved in regular physical workouts. Stress and anxiety in our daily lifestyle play a major role in the loss of glutamine from our body.
So in order to maintain glutamine levels, one needs to introduce glutamine-rich foods into their diet. So here is the list of the foods that are rich in glutamine.
1. Fish
Fish is the most important food when it comes to choosing foods that are rich in glutamine. The amount of protein found in fish is extremely high. 15% of the total amount of amino acid present in fish is glutamine. Seawater fishes like crab, lobster, and shrimps have more glutamine content than freshwater fish. Be it a spicy curry or fried one, fishes form a major part of non-vegetarian cuisine.
2. Eggs
Eggs are one of the best sources of glutamine. People who are into regular workouts or have serious body-building goals should consume eggs to fulfill their glutamine levels. Along with these eggs are also rich in various vitamins and minerals. A single boiled egg consists of about 0.8-0.9 grams of glutamine. Besides this eggs actually tastes great even if boiled or cooked. Be it raw egg or cooked egg, both consist of great nutritional value and are considered the main part of Indian breakfast.
3. Chicken breast
We all know that chicken breast is a great source of lean protein and is consumed in large amounts by bodybuilders. 3 ounces of chicken breast contain about 3.7g of L-glutamine. Chicken as we all know is rich in vitamins and minerals but chicken breasts are the most preferred ones when it comes to consuming protein-rich foods or food that are rich in glutamine.
4. Skimmed Milk
Skimmed milk is consumed all over India and is extensively rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. Skimmed milk helps to promote the production of glutathione which is an antioxidant highly healthy for your body. 1 cup of skimmed milk consists of about 1.7g of glutamine. This in turn with its health benefits makes milk one of the wonder drink in the world. Be it in the morning or in night milk is loved by all. Alongside toned milk and double-toned milk also contains a good amount of glutamine. About 16-20% of the total protein in milk is glutamine. If you are including milk and milk products in your diet for protein fulfillment you are also getting a good amount of glutamine along with it.
5. Meat
People who are non-vegetarians consume meat at least once a month. Meat is considered another great food that is highly rich in glutamine and protein. Foods that are rich in protein consist glutamine in them. It is always recommended to consume white meat over red meat especially if you have high blood pressure. 3 ounces of red meat contains about 3.2g of glutamine.
6. Mozzarella cheese
Dairy products always have a great combination of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Mozzarella cheese being a dairy product is rich in vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats and protein. 1 ounce of mozzarella cheese consists of about 1.7g of glutamine. Cheese generally contains both whey protein and casein protein and both of these proteins tend to carry a moderate amount of glutamine.
7. Soy milk
Soy milk is a plant-based drink that is made from soybean dal. 1/2 cup soy milk contains about 1.4g of glutamine.
8. Foodgrains
Foodgrains like wheat, rice, atta also contain a good amount of glutamine content in them. The amount of protein content in these foods is low are varies from 6-9%. Even if the amount of protein found in foodgrains is low, the amount of glutamine content varies from 18 to 20% of the total protein content. Foodgrains when cooked lose 50% of their nutritional value but 20% of the total protein is still a good number.
9. Nuts
Nuts are also rich in protein, healthy fats and glutamine. Various types of nuts such as almonds, peanuts, walnuts and hazelnuts consist of good amounts of glutamine in them. 1 ounce of dry roasted peanuts contains about 1.4g of glutamine in them. You can consume nuts in between meals as an evening snack.
10. Beans and lentils
Beans such as soybeans, kidney beans and black beans are excellent vegetarian sources of glutamine as they are rich in protein. Similarly, lentils such as masoor dal contain a moderate amount of glutamine in them. If you are a vegetarian and cannot consume non-vegetarian foods like chicken or fish can consume beans and lentils to get the necessary amount of glutamine required by the body. 1/2 cup of black beans contains about 1.2g glutamine whereas 1/2 cup of lentils contains about 1.1-1.4g of glutamine.
11. Cabbage
Cabbage is a green leafy vegetable that actually contains a good amount of glutamine in it. But cooking cabbages will remove the glutamine amino acids present in them. Rather cabbage juice, boiled cabbage or cabbages in the form of salad keeps the glutamine content intact. Along with cabbage just like any other green leafy vegetable contains protein and boosts your overall immunity.
Why do we need glutamine in our body?
Glutamine helps in recovery. After an intense workout, the glutamine level in your body goes down as it is completely utilized in providing the strength and stamina required for the workout. This is when you need glutamine to replenish the strength and stamina back in your system. If you are not taking glutamine-rich foods after a high-intensity workout the recovery gets delayed and your body becomes sore. Besides this, there are other reasons why we need glutamine in our body.
- Glutamine helps in boosting your immunity power and neurological functions
- Glutamine prevents muscle loss
- Glutamine also improves digestion
- It helps in repairing damaged tissues
- Glutamine also helps in eliminating waste products from the body
- Glutamine-rich foods that you should definitely include in your diet
- Maintains acid-base balance in the body
- Produces antioxidants in the body
- Glutamine can be utilized for weight loss since it raises the body’s resting metabolic rate, which ultimately helps in burning excess fat.
Who should consume food rich in glutamine?
Glutamine is produced in the body but in certain conditions, one needs to take up more glutamine in the form of food or supplements.
1. People who are suffering from severe burns should consume glutamine-rich foods on a regular basis
2. People who have high bodybuilding and muscle building goals and need to perform intense workouts on a regular basis
3. People with low muscle mass should consume glutamine-rich foods or supplements
4. People who have very low immunity and suffer from cold and flu frequently should consume glutamine-rich foods to boost overall immunity.
Who should not consume glutamine-rich foods?
1. People who are allergenic to glutamine-rich foods should avoid such foods.
2. People with kidney or liver disease should definitely consult their doctor before introducing glutamine-rich foods into their diet.
Conclusion
So now you can see the importance of glutamine and why you need glutamine-rich foods in your diet. Non-vegetarian foods being rich in protein have the upper hand over vegetarian foods when it comes to glutamine content. So wait no more and follow this list of the 11 11 glutamine-rich foods that will keep your energy and stamina boosted.
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