Many people won’t have heard of cysteine or even know what it is but it is actually one of the most effective nutrients we can put into our body. The amino acid is found in proteins and so, as long as you eat a healthy diet, should be relatively easy for you to acquire without the use of supplements. The body takes cysteine and converts it into glutathione which is an amazing antioxidant and detoxifier credited with battling illness and several diseases including flu and angina. Here are the top ten foods with the highest levels of cysteine in them so you can start improving your diet now.
1. Eggs
Eggs are already a powerhouse when it comes to nutritional value but the levels of cysteine found in the yolk particularly make them even better than first thought. They also contain B and D vitamins, iron and selenium making them perfect as a one stop nutritional food source.
2. Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is extremely rich in cysteine and perfect to add to your sandwich or salad at lunchtime. It is also an excellent source of calcium and contains vitamin B12 and pantothenic acid. However, make sure you don’t opt for low fat or ‘diet’ options as they may contain less cysteine and other nutrients overall.
3. Poultry
Cysteine is a protein and so it makes sense that chicken is a great source. Just over 100 grams of chicken will give you more than enough of your daily allowance and a normal portion is usually larger than that. Chicken also contains B6, selenium and many other nutrients making it a very healthy source of protein.
4. Duck
Duck is a great source of cysteine along with selenium and many of the B vitamins. Although duck has a bad reputation for being very fatty, the meat itself is very low in fat so as long as you make sure you trim off the skin and fat you can spare yourself those extra calories.
5. Riccota cheese
Another dairy source of cysteine is riccota which is traditionally made from the leftover whey of the cheesemaking process. Along with cysteine it contains calcium, phosphorus and riboflavin.
6. Yogurt
We are talking plain non sweetened yogurt here, but just one cup can give you just under 30 percent of your recommended daily allowance of cysteine. It also provides you with calcium, iodine, potassium and zinc. If you choose a live yogurt you will also benefit from probiotics which can improve your digestion and gut flora.
7. Oats
Oats, such as cereal granola, are a great source of cysteine among other things. Combine them with milk and you are on your way to a very healthy serving of not only cysteine but also a large amount of fibre, vitamin E and cancer fighting phytochemicals.
8. Broccoli
Broccoli has been hailed as a superfood and actually, that isn’t far off. Not only is it a rich cource of cysteine but also contains vitamin A, C, biotin, potassium, riboflavin and phosphorus!
9. Red pepper
Vegetables are naturally lower in cysteine than animal and dairy sources but many still have a good amount of the amino acid. One of the best vegetables to eat if you want to boost your intake is red peppers. They contain roughly 30mg each serving along with vitamin C, E and is packed with antioxidants.
10. Garlic
Garlic has roughly the same amount of cysteine as a pepper but what is interesting about garlic is the unbeliveable amount of nutritents it contains. It is also full of antioxidents and has been creditied with curing many ailments and medical conditions through history including acne, yeast infections and even snoring!
Article contribution by PolicyExpert.co.uk.
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