BCAA
Type: Mineral
Amino acids are the building blocks that make up protein. This means that protein is broken down into amino acids after consumption. These amino acids are then rearranged into various combinations to form specific body components, such as building muscles and immune cells. Altogether, there are 20 amino acids that are categorised into Essential Amino Acids, Non-essential Amino Acids, and Conditionally Essential Amino Acids.
Essential Amino Acids
As our body cannot naturally produce them, essential amino acids must be obtained from foods. They can be found abundantly in animal proteins like meat, eggs and poultry. Plant-based sources often do not contain all essential amino acids. The only exception are soy, quinoa and buckwheat. Therefore, it is recommended for vegetarians to include a variety of plant proteins and grains in their daily diet so to ensure that their essential amino acid needs are met.
There are 3 essential amino acids, which are known as Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) - leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are highly raved in the sports industry as they can be metabolised directly in the muscle, therefore reducing the amount of protein breakdown and speeding up muscle repair and recovery.
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