Foods rich in asparagine are mainly foods rich in protein, such as eggs or meat. Asparagine is a non-essential amino acid that is produced in sufficient quantities by the body and, therefore, does not need to be ingested through food.
One of the functions of asparagine is to keep the cells of the nervous system healthy and to contribute to the formation and maintenance of bones, skin, nails or hair, for example. In addition, asparagine also serves to form new proteins within the body according to the needs of the body at every moment.
List of richest foods
The richest foods in asparagine are egg, meat, milk, cheese, yogurt and fish. Other foods that have asparagine are:
- Shellfish; Asparagus; Potatoes; Nuts; Seeds and legumes.
As the body is able to produce the amino acid asparagine, there is no need to worry about food intake through the diet.
What is asparagine for
The main functions of asparagine are to assist in the correct functioning of brain cells and the central nervous system.
Asparagine is an amino acid produced by healthy cells in the body and, therefore, cancer cells are not able to produce this amino acid, but they feed on it. Therefore, an alternative therapy for the treatment of leukemia is to use injectable asparaginase, which is an enzyme that destroys food asparagine, thus preventing cancer cells from gaining strength and continuing to develop using asparagine as an energy source.
