I’m sure many of you are aware of the importance of protein You may also know that protein is made up of branch chain amino acids which make a complete protein. There are 20 amino acids needed for the body to function correctly, they are responsible for the growth and repair of muscle, skin and bone. 9 of these are called essential amino acids meaning they need to be consumed through the food we eat.

Leucine is one of the 9 but what makes it unique?

Leucine is suspected to be the only amino acid that can stimulate muscle growth and help prevent the deterioration of muscle with age. Leucine acts as more of a signal in the body that new muscle protein should be built. It’s an anabolic trigger, if you will.

Does having more leucine really matter that matter though?

Yep, it does. Studies in humans show that even in the presence of a high protein meal, adding leucine further augments protein synthesis. Since protein synthesis is what creates new muscle tissue, it stands to reason that optimizing your leucine amount per meal, even if your meal is high in protein, may further boost muscle gain. In fact, recent studies suggest that the chief factor in determining how well a protein builds muscle is how much leucine the protein contains.

After all that, I’m sure you would like to know which foods contain Leucine

Research shows that in order to activate this muscle-building trigger, you need to hit a threshold amount of leucine, roughly 3-5 grams per serving depending on your bodyweight.

Below is a list of the top 10 foods highest in leucine.

• Chicken thigh and leg
• Beef (Skirt Steak)
• Tuna
• Firm Tofu
• Canned Navy Beans
• Milk
• Low-Fat Ricotta Cheese
• Squash and Pumpkin Seeds
• Eggs
• Cottage cheese

It may take a little research and calculating to get this right but once you do you’ll be sure to reap the benefits.

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