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Arginine (abbreviated as Arg or R) is an a-amino acid. The L-form is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids. Its codons are CGU, CGC, CGA, CGG, AGA, and AGG. In mammals, arginine is classified as a semiessential or conditionally essential amino acid, depending on the developmental stage and health status of the individual. Infants are unable to meet their requirements and thus arginine is nutritionally essential for infants. Arginine was first isolated from a lupin seedling extract in 1886 by the Swiss chemist Ernst Schultze.



Arginine is a conditionally nonessential amino acid, meaning most of the time it can be manufactured by the human body, and does not need to be obtained directly through the diet. The biosynthetic pathway however does not produce sufficient arginine, and some must still be consumed through diet. Individuals who have poor nutrition or certain physical conditions may be advised to increase their intake of foods containing arginine. Arginine is found in a wide variety of foods, including:



Animal sources: dairy products (e.g. cottage cheese, ricotta, milk, yogurt, whey protein drinks), beef, pork (e.g. bacon, ham), poultry (e.g. chicken and turkey light meat), wild game (e.g. pheasant, quail), seafood (e.g. halibut, lobster, salmon, shrimp, snails, tuna)

Vegetable sources: wheat germ and flour, buckwheat, granola, oatmeal, nuts (coconut, pecans, cashews, walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pinenuts, peanuts), seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower), chick peas, cooked soybeans.



source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L-arginine

Aspartic acid, also called asparaginic acid, is one of the nonessential amino acids. "Nonessential" means that our bodies produce it even if we don't get this amino acid from the food we eat.



Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins. Proteins have many functions in our bodies. Enzymes are a type of protein.



Aspartic acid is found primarily in sugar cane and molasses.

L-cysteine hydrochloride and L-cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate.



Origin: A diamer of L-cysteine, a naturally occurring amino acid, and manufactured from animal hair and chicken feathers. In China it is made from human hair.



Function: Improving agent for flour, other than wholemeal. Flavour, especially chicken flavour.



Typical products: Flour for breadmaking.



Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that occurs naturally in foods and can also be manufactured by the body from the amino acid methionine. In the production of cysteine, methionine is converted to S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), which is then converted to homocysteine. Homocysteine then reacts with serine to form cysteine. Cysteine is also found in the body and in food as cystine, an amino acid that contains two cysteines joined together.



How it Functions

What is the function of cysteine?

Promoting Antioxidant Activity

As a key constituent of glutathione, cysteine has many important physiological functions. Glutathione, formed from cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine, is found in all human tissues, with the highest concentrations found in the liver and eyes. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant, protecting fatty tissues from the damaging effects of free radicals. The antioxidant activity of glutathione is attributed specifically to the presence of cysteine in the compound.



Source:http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=54

http://www.vegsoc.org.au/forum_messages.asp?Thread_ID=131&Topic_ID=1

A non-essential amino acid naturally occurring in the L-form. Glutamic acid is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.

Glycine (abbreviated as Gly or G)[2] is the organic compound with the formula NH2CH2COOH. It is the smallest of the 20 amino acids commonly found in proteins, coded by codons GGU, GGC, GGA and GGG. Glycine is unique among the proteinogenic amino acids in that it is not chiral. Most proteins incorporate only small quantities of glycine. A notable exception is collagen, which contains about 35% glycine.[3] Solid glycine is a colourless, sweet-tasting crystalline material.



Other markets for USP grade glycine include its use an additive in pet food and animal feed. For humans, glycine is sold as a sweetener/taste enhancer. Food supplements and protein drinks contain glycine. Certain drug formulations include glycine to improve gastric absorption of the drug

L-leucine is an essential amino acid, specifically classified as a 'branched chain amino acid' (bcaa). Bcaas, especially leucine, stimulate protein synthesis directly in muscle tissue. Leucine may be the major fuel involved in anabolic (tissue-building) reactions, and is of major importance in the storage of proteins in the body

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe)is a naturally occurring molecule distributed to virtually all body tissues and fluids. It is of fundamental importance in a number of biochemical reactions involving enzymatic transmethylation, contributing to the synthesis, activation and/or metabolism of such compounds as hormones, neurotransmitters, nucleic acids, proteins, phospholipids and certain drugs. The administration of a stable salt of SAMe, either orally or parenterally, has been shown to restore normal hepatic function in the presence of various chronic liver diseases (including alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhosis, oestrogen-induced and other forms of cholestasis), to prevent or reverse hepatotoxicity due to several drugs and chemicals such as alcohol, paracetamol (acetaminophen), steroids and lead, and to have antidepressant properties. In all of these studies SAMe has been very well tolerated.



Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

essential amino acid; the body uses it to produce some hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine, thyroxine, cholecystokinin) and melanin, (a brown skin pigment); cholecystokinin causes suppression of the appetite (this may be useful to sports people who need to reduce body fat or maintain a certain weight); pain relieving effects of phenylalanine may be of use to athletic people who experience pain due to muscle, ligament, joint and tendon injury, inflammation and spasms which commonly result from intense exercise

Serine (abbreviated as Ser or S)[3] is an amino acid with the formula HO2CCH(NH2)CH2OH. It is one of the proteinogenic amino acids. By virtue of the hydroxyl group, serine is classified as a polar amino acid.

There are 20 amino acides



alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine,

glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine,

lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline,

serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine,

valine,

We can absorb L-tryptophan though our digestive system. Since nearly everything we eat comes from forms of life, nearly everything we eat contains at least a trace of L-tryptophan. Some things we consume do contain larger amounts of L-tryptophan than others. The best sources of L-tryptophan from food are meats (especially turkey and chicken), dairy products (especially cottage cheese and milk), brown rice, peanuts, almonds, soy products (soy contains 5 times as much as oats) and green leafy vegetables. According to some information I've seen from several sources, humans can't produce L-tryptophan - we have to consume it. That is why it is sometimes called an "essential" amino acid. Apparently, since L-tryptophan has been widely available to us, our human bodies have evolved to just rely on getting it from our environment rather than forming it inside our bodies. This is not unsual. It is the same situation for humans with vitamin C. It is the same way for cats with taurine.

Nutritional sources of valine include cottage cheese, fish, poultry, peanuts, sesame seeds, and lentils.





Valine (abbreviated as Val or V)[1] is an a-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCH(NH2)CH(CH3)2. L-Valine is one of 20 proteogenic amino acids. Its codons are GUU, GUC, GUA, and GUG. This essential amino acid is classified as nonpolar. Along with leucine and isoleucine, valine is a branched-chain amino acid. It is named after the plant valerian. In sickle-cell disease, valine substitutes for the hydrophilic amino acid glutamic acid in hemoglobin. Because valine is hydrophobic, the hemoglobin does not fold correctly.

Whey or milk plasma is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained; it is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Whey is used to produce ricotta and gjetost cheeses and many other products for human consumption. It is used as an additive in many processed foods, including breads, crackers and commercial pastry. In addition, whey is used as an animal feed. Whey proteins mainly consist of a-lactalbumin and ß-lactoglobulin. Depending on the method of manufacture, it may also contain glycomacropeptides (GMP).



The whey protein separated from this mixture is often sold as a nutritional supplement. Such supplements are especially popular in the sport of bodybuilding. Liquid whey contains lactose, vitamins, and minerals along with traces of fat. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden discovered that whey appears to stimulate insulin release. Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition they also discovered that whey supplements can help regulate and reduce spikes in blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes by increasing Insulin secretion.



Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whey

Both CHOCOLATE and cocoa powder come from cocoa beans that grow in pods on the tropical Theobroma cacao tree, which is found in Southeast Asia, Africa, Hawaii, Brazil and other South American countries. Once cocoa beans are fermented, dried, roasted and cracked, the nibs are ground to extract about 75 percent of the cocoa butter, leaving a dark brown paste called chocolate liquor. After drying again, the hardened mass is ground into the powder known as unsweetened cocoa. The richer, darker Dutch cocoa has been treated with an ALKALI, which helps neutralize cocoa's natural acidity. Cocoa powder is sold plain or mixed with other ingredients such as milk powder and sugar, forming an instant cocoa mix.

Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial

A combination of both what is considered “natural” and “artificial” flavoring under the Federal Drug Administration(FDA) Regulations. Artificial flavoring “means any substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof.” In other words, substances not found in nature to add flavor to a substance is considered artificial. See Artificial Flavor. Natural flavoring “means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.” See Natural Flavor.

Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 of the Us. Food and Drug Administration. Title 21. Volume 2. Revised 1 April 2010.

Acesulfame Potassium

Also seen as Acesulfame K, Ace-K, Sunett, or Sweet One, Acesulfame Potassium is a sugar substitute that is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It is used as a flavor enhancer and sweetener for foods. It is a low calorie food ingredient because our bodies do not metabolize it. Acesulfame K also is not consumed by bacteria so it does not contribute to tooth decay as sugar does. However, methylene chloride is used for the production of Acesulfame K, which also is used as a propellant, degreaser, and paint stripper. There are many side effects with consumption of Acesulfame K, including increased risk for cancer, triggering chronic respiratory disease, or abnormal cravings for sweets. The chemical remains stable when exposed to heat, basic, or acidic conditions. Since it is stable under high heat, manufacturers use Acesulfame K potassium to use in baking and extending shelf life. This artificial sweetener has a slight bitter aftertaste, but companies are using this with sodium ferulate to mask the bitterness. Other companies use Acesulfame K with other alternative sweeteners such as Aspartame or sucralose to control the use of it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends the acceptable daily intake of 15mg/kg of body weight/day.

"Artificial Sweeteners Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - Acesulfame K: What Are the Pros on

MedicineNet." Web. 17 May 2011. .

Denby, Amelia. "Acesulfame Potassium Dangers Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs,

Health Insurance." Health: Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs, Health Insurance. 14 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 May 2011. .

"What Is Acesulfame Potassium?" Tech-FAQ. Web. 17 May 2011.
faq.com/acesulfame-potassium.html>.

Approved in the United States in April 1998, sucralose (a synthetic chemical) can be used in soft drinks, baked goods, ice cream, sweetener packets, and other products. It previously had been used in Canada, Europe, and elsewhere. Sucralose is safer than saccharin and cyclamate and doesn’t raise the concerns that tests on acesulfame-K and aspartame have raised.