{"id":52082,"date":"2017-03-30T11:15:51","date_gmt":"2017-03-30T15:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=52082"},"modified":"2021-05-02T08:39:42","modified_gmt":"2021-05-02T12:39:42","slug":"benefits-liquid-aminos-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/benefits-liquid-aminos-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Liquid Aminos and Should I Use Them?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"What
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019ve been to a health food store lately, you may have noticed a product called liquid aminos gracing the shelves.\u00a0Jim White<\/a>, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says that liquid aminos come in pour or spray bottles and contain naturally-occurring essential and non-essential amino acids.\u00a0For those keeping track at home, that means 0.5 grams of protein per teaspoon. Touted as a healthier alternative to\u00a0tamari and soy sauce, liquid amino acids<\/a> are gluten-free and are not fermented. Yet, you’ll still get that great flavor.<\/p>\n

Sounds fancy, but what\u2019s the point? Here\u2019s why amino acids might be beneficial. Plus,\u00a0when you might consider adding liquid aminos to your food.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>Will Apple Cider Vinegar Really Help You Lose Weight?<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Use Liquid Aminos<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein<\/a> that your body uses\u00a0to create muscle. They\u2019re also important for healthy functioning of your body’s\u00a0cells and organs. The major sources of essential amino acids include meat<\/a>, dairy<\/a> products and legumes<\/a>. But supplements \u2014 either in a capsule, powder or liquid form \u2014 offer another\u00a0option for going\u00a0above and beyond your daily requirement, says White.<\/p>\n

Some people swear by amino acid supplements to prevent fatigue<\/a> and improve concentration<\/a>. But\u00a0there\u2019s no hard scientific evidence to fully support these claims, says White. One study<\/a> found that women who took supplements of L-Ornithine, a nonprotein amino acid, reported feeling less fatigued. But L-Ornithine is not one of the amino acids contained in the most popular brand<\/a> of liquid amino acids.<\/p>\n

According to White, the biggest fans of amino acid supplementation seem to be athletes. People looking to improve exercise performance<\/a> and therefore, reduce the breakdown of protein and muscle during an intense workout might\u00a0also take amino acid supplementation. Some athletes report increased energy levels and decreased fatigue after taking a dose of liquid amino acids before or after exercise. And while more research is needed, some suggest<\/a>\u00a0that amino acid supplements may help elite competitors train more efficiently. Liquid aminos may also help prevent muscle cramps in athletes and help them recover quicker after a tough workout.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The Beginner’s Guide to Using Protein Powder<\/a><\/p>\n

Should You Try It?<\/h3>\n

While amino acid supplements may be most popular with athletes looking to boost their performance, they may\u00a0have some merit for everyday use, too, says White. People who follow a vegan<\/a> or vegetarian diet may be deficient in certain essential amino acids, since meat and dairy are some of the major sources.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you need to be on a gluten-free diet<\/a>, or you\u2019re a vegan or a vegetarian and need more protein in your diet to meet protein requirements, [for example],\u201d White says you might want to consider them.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, people on a low-sodium diet due to high blood pressure, kidney disease or another health issue should use liquid amino acids sparingly. Instead, they should depend on lean proteins, says White. In spite of not containing added salt<\/a>, liquid amino acids contain about 320 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon; that’s 23 more than a teaspoon of soy sauce.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>13 Amazingly Easy DIY Condiments Recipes<\/a><\/p>\n

So adding some liquid amino acids to your next stir-fry is probably unnecessary, unless you\u00a0don’t get enough protein<\/a> from a restrictive diet or you\u2019re a serious bodybuilder. But if you think you could benefit a little from it, be sure to use the liquid in moderation, says White. It\u2019s also wise to have a chat with your doctor to see if he or she thinks it\u2019s necessary for you to increase your amino acid intake. You\u2019ll also want to ensure it doesn\u2019t interact with any medications or other supplements you’re taking.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs with protein in general, you do not want to intake more grams per day than you need, as it can overwork your kidneys or cause weight gain by increased calories,\u201d says White. \u201cThe safest way to increase muscle mass is a high-protein natural diet with weight training and exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally posted August 2016. Updated March 2017.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Athletes and bodybuilders are using liquid aminos to increase their energy levels. But are they safe for everyone? Find out the pros and cons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,11],"tags":[175,59,71,141,341,344],"class_list":["post-52082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-health-hacks","tag-gluten-free","tag-healthy-substitutions","tag-nutrition","tag-sports","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2sports-nutrition"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52082\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}