Essential amino acids: what they are & best food sources
What they are
Amino acids combine to form proteins. The nine essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, so they must come from food: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. NIH MedlinePlus
You don’t need to pair proteins (such as beans with rice) at one meal; what matters is a varied diet over the whole day. A diet based on a single plant food is not enough. NIH MedlinePlus
Vegetarians and vegans should diversify plant protein sources for amino acid balance. USDA
How much protein you need is on the protein page.
Best food sources (per portion)
Histidine
| Food | Portion | Histidine |
|---|---|---|
 Tuna, canned, drained | 100 g | 1.6 g |
 Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.3 g |
 Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.1 g |
 Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 1.1 g |
 Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 1 g |
 Mackerel | 125 g | 0.87 g |
Isoleucine
| Food | Portion | Isoleucine |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.8 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 1.6 g |
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.6 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 1.5 g |
 Trout | 125 g | 1.3 g |
 Cod | 150 g | 1.2 g |
Leucine
| Food | Portion | Leucine |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 2.8 g |
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 2.6 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 2.6 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 2.5 g |
| Trout | 125 g | 2.2 g |
| Cod | 150 g | 2.2 g |
Lysine
| Food | Portion | Lysine |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 3.2 g |
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 3 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 2.7 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 2.6 g |
| Trout | 125 g | 2.5 g |
| Cod | 150 g | 2.5 g |
Methionine
| Food | Portion | Methionine |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 0.94 g |
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 0.92 g |
| Trout | 125 g | 0.82 g |
| Cod | 150 g | 0.79 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 0.78 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 0.76 g |
Phenylalanine
| Food | Portion | Phenylalanine |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.3 g |
 Tofu | 150 g | 1.3 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 1.3 g |
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.3 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 1.3 g |
| Trout | 125 g | 1.1 g |
Threonine
| Food | Portion | Threonine |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 2.8 g |
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.5 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 1.4 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 1.4 g |
| Trout | 125 g | 1.4 g |
| Cod | 150 g | 1.2 g |
Tryptophan
| Food | Portion | Tryptophan |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 0.4 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 0.35 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 0.34 g |
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 0.33 g |
 Salmon | 125 g | 0.33 g |
| Tofu | 150 g | 0.32 g |
Valine
| Food | Portion | Valine |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.9 g |
| Beef mince, lean | 125 g | 1.7 g |
| Chicken breast, skinless | 150 g | 1.7 g |
| Beef rump (lean red meat) | 125 g | 1.6 g |
| Trout | 125 g | 1.6 g |
| Cod | 150 g | 1.4 g |
Per normal portion. Amino acid values from BLS 4.0, which takes them from other nutrient databases.
Sources
- Amino acids — NIH MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 — U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health & Human Services
- Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0 — German Nutrient Database — Max Rubner-Institut