Glutathione Foods

What Foods Promote the Highest Glutathione Levels?

APRIL 10, 2010 | MERCOLA.COM

Many whole foods contain significant amounts of glutathione or its precursors. Foods richest in sulfur-containing amino acids are usually the best sources of glutathione:

·         The overall top food for maximizing your glutathione is high quality whey protein. It must be cold pressed whey protein derived from grass fed cows, and free of hormones, chemicals and sugar. Quality Gwhey provides all the key amino acids for glutathione production (cysteine, glycine and glutamate) and contains a unique cysteine residue (glutamylcysteine) that is highly bioactive in its affinity for converting to glutathione. Glutamylcysteine is a bonded cysteine molecule (cysteine plus glutamate) that naturally occurs in Bovine Serum Albumin – a fragile immune component of the whey. This unique cysteine is exclusive to whey and rarely appears in other protein foods – which makes whey protein the best glutathione-promoting food source. Furthermore, whey provides critical co-factors, immunoglobulins, lactoferrin and alpha Lactalbumin (also a great source of cysteine), which together help create the right metabolic environment for high glutathione activity.

·         Raw milk products, raw eggs and meat: Glutathione occurs in the highest levels in fresh, uncooked meats and raw milk, but is almost entirely absent in pasteurized dairy products.

·         Fresh fruits and vegetables provide excellent glutathione, but once cooked, values become negligible. Spinach, potatoes, asparagus, avocado, squash, okra, cauliflower, broccoli, walnuts, garlic and tomatoes have the highest glutathione per serving.

·         The herb milk thistle is an excellent source of the antioxidant compound silymarin, which may help to prevent glutathione depletion in the liver. Glutathione is crucial in the liver for detoxification and can become depleted from acetaminophen (Tylenol), alcohol consumption, and general toxic overload.

·         Curcumin may also be useful for increasing glutathione levels.

Keeping your glutathione levels up is a matter of increasing factors that boost your glutathione and decreasing factors that lower it. The things that deplete your glutathione the fastest are chemicals, toxins and sugar.

WHAT MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GLUTATHIONE?

GLUTATHIONE (GSH)

Glutathione

Glutathione is the most important natural (endogenous) antioxidant and is found in almost every cell of the body. It is vital for cell protection as well as for proper cell function and is, therefore, absolutely essential for maintaining good health. Glutathione levels are highest in cells of organs in the body that are most susceptible to toxicity, such as the liver, kidney, lungs, heart, eyes, skin and brain. Thus, glutathione protects against cell-generated oxygen and nitrogen free radicals when produced in excess, and the free radicals produced by exposure to radiation from ultraviolet light, x-, gamma- and cosmic-rays.

Glutathione not only neutralizes free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds, but maintains exogenous antioxidants such as vitamins C and E in their reduced (active) forms. Through direct conjugation, glutathione detoxifies many environmental carcinogens and toxic xenobiotic (foreign) substances. It also protects against toxic/carcinogenic pollutants such as cigarette smoke, vehicular exhaust fumes, and smoke-stack effluents.

Glutathione is essential for the proper functioning of the endogenous antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Our cell membranes are made up of polyunsaturated lipids or fats and are susceptible to damage by the reactive oxygen species (ROS), especially the peroxide radicals. This damage can affect the cell from getting proper nutrients or waste material out and if not functioning properly will lead to cellular death. The enzyme glutathione peroxidase detoxifies lipid peroxides (reactive by-product from oxidation of lipids by free radicals) and glutathione is a needed co-factor for this enzyme.

Glutathione is needed for the growth, reproduction and differentiation of lymphocytes and is essential for a full functioning immune system. Glutathione also plays an active role in a multitude of metabolic and biochemical reactions, such as DNA synthesis and repair, protein synthesis, prostaglandin synthesis, amino acid transport and enzyme activation. Thus, glutathione plays a fundamental role in maintenance of optimal health.

The medical and basic science literature describe the importance of glutathione in many facets of cellular function, especially in maintaining the reduction/oxidation (redox) balance of cells that can be compromised by environmental toxins and the stresses of urban lifestyles.

Facts on Glutathione

·         Naturally produced by the body.

·         As we age our glutathione levels start to decline.1

·         Low glutathione levels are associated with chronic diseases.

·         Glutathione is found in higher concentration in organs that are subject to high toxic exposure, such as the liver, kidney, lungs, skin, eyes and ears.

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