Leucine and Foods Rich in Leucine

Soybeans are among the most widely known and nutritionally beneficial legumes on earth. Mature soy bean (2.97 g/100 g) and its products, especially soy protein isolate (4.9 g/100 g) are abundant sources of leucine. Not only do soybeans provide protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K, they also have one of the highest amounts of leucine among all natural food sources. Soybeans are available in many forms including dried, canned or fresh. Fresh soybeans usually can be found at the Asian supermarkets.

Meat like beef, pork and cured meats are good sources of the amino acid, and can provide around 1.76 g of leucine per 100 g portion. What is less attractive about them is that they are rich in saturated fats (especially pork) and cannot be regarded as a part of a healthy diet. To eat or not eat – that is the question.

Chicken is one of the best sources of leucine, it provides 1.48g/100 g leucine per serving. It is also low in fats, if cooked skinless, but high in proteins and selenium. Of course, frying is not the best way to preserve poultry benefits.

All fish are a good source of leucine, especially pink salmon (1.62/100 g). Canned light tuna provides ~3.5 grams in 1 cup of tuna chunks; salmon and haddock, for instance, give about 3 grams of leucine in an average-sized portion. Other fish that belong to rich leucine sources include whitefish, tilefish and trout.

Shellfish, like shrimps, can be easily included in children’s diet and contain 1.61 g of leucine per 100 g serving. They are high in proteins and nutrients, but low in calories, which makes them a desirable additive to the everyday diet.

Whole eggs and egg whites are excellent sources of leucine: one whole fresh egg contains about 1.09 g of this amino acid, while white of one egg 1.02 g. According to the recent studies, leucine in eggs provides a metabolic advantage when trying to lose weight, as leucine appears to help burn fat. However, only eating eggs will not help you to lose weight, it is advised to contribute by eating high-quality proteins as well as limiting carbohydrates, too. If you are concerned about cholesterol content in eggs but still want the leucine they contain, eat egg whites alone.

All nuts, especially almonds (1.5 g/100 g) and peanuts (1.67 g/100 g) are an outstanding source of amino acids. Adding nuts to your menu gives body literally a power boost. Packed with proteins, essential fats, fibre and various vitamins (depending on what kind you prefer), they perfectly match a healthy lifestyle. Though, most beneficial are unsalted nuts.

Seeds are rather inconspicuous – a lot of people have never properly tried them. However, they are full of various nutrients like iron, omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, vitamins, etc. So if you want to enhance your general health condition as well as to improve its leucine content, consider flax and sesame seeds as your everyday snack from now on.

Lentils, chickpeas, beans, and cow peas are good sources of leucine, especially for vegans. They also host an abundance of protein and fibre while delivering relatively small amount of calories. Another their advantage is a wide range of varieties to pick from.

Sheep's milk is the best source of leucine, followed by goat's milk and cow's milk. Milk is an indispensable part of a healthy diet (of course, if you are not allergic), especially for the children. A cup of milk provides a growing organism with fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin D, calcium, choline, potassium and many other beneficial nutrients.

Dairy products are a particularly good source of leucine because they are high in protein. For example, 1 cup of non-fat cow's milk provides 0.8 g of leucine and slightly more if it's protein-fortified or has non-fat milk solids added. Most types of cheese are also superb sources of leucine: for instance, a 1-ounce portion of Edam, Colby, cheddar or blue cheese provides from 0.5 g to 0.7 g of leucine, while Parmesan holds even higher amount of this amino acid, with about 1 g per ounce of hard cheese. Different kinds of yoghurt contain moderate amounts of leucine as well, with about 1 g per 6-ounce serving.