essential amino acid
nounDefinition of essential amino acid
: any of various amino acids that are required for normal health and growth in many vertebrates, are either not manufactured in the body or manufactured in insufficient quantities, are usually supplied by dietary protein, and include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine — compare nonessential amino acid
Examples of essential amino acid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When a protein source contains an adequate supply of all nine essential amino acids, it’s dubbed with the honorific title of complete protein. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "Does It Make a Difference if You Get Your Protein from Plants or Animals?," 28 Aug. 2019 Creatine is a non-essential amino acid, which means that our bodies have the ability to manufacture it from other amino acids. — Nutrition Diva Monica Reinagel, Scientific American, "Is a Vegetarian Diet Bad for Your Brain?," 2 Aug. 2019 Alex also recommends maintaining the color and glow with good conditioners plus treatments and masks every so often, like the company’s London Beer Mask, which has essential amino acids and proteins to strengthen the hair. — Sara Radin, Teen Vogue, "Dyeing Your Hair Two Different Colors Is The New Trend We Can’t Get Enough Of," 24 July 2019 Tremblaya helps to supply the mealybug with essential amino acids and likely receives nutrients and other life-sustaining molecules in return. — Quanta Magazine, "Tiny Genomes May Offer Clues to First Plants and Animals," 20 June 2013 When a protein is missing or pretty low in any of those essential amino acids, it’s considered incomplete. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "Here's What Actually Happens in Your Body When You Eat Protein," 20 June 2019 Technically a legume, soybeans are one of the only common plant foods that contain complete protein—meaning all nine essential amino acids. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "6 Healthiest Beans You Can Eat," 15 Aug. 2016 Some, such as spirulina, can contain up to 70 percent protein in dry weight, and have all the essential amino acids that humans need to survive. — Marta Zaraska, Discover Magazine, "Raising the Steaks: How One City in the Netherlands Wants to Feed the World," 13 Mar. 2019 Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids necessary to rebuild the muscles and tissues in our bodies, according to Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute. — Stephanie Eckelkamp, Good Housekeeping, "I Ate 3 Eggs Every Day for a Week — Here’s What I Learned," 13 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'essential amino acid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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