October 12, 2014

Glutathione in food

Glutathione is a tri-peptide found in both plants and animals and is important as a source of endogenous thiols, which act as scavengers of free radicals and active electrophiles. It is a small protein composed of three amino acids: cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine.

Glutathione is an important anticancer agent that helps detoxify and eliminate toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides and solvents.

Glutathione attacks cancer in two ways:
*Glutathione hampers the effects of free radicals unstable oxygen molecules that can damage healthy cells and cause them to become cancerous.
*Glutathione prevents other cancer-causing chemicals called carcinogens from damaging DNA, the chemical blue print that tells how to function.

Glutathione’s combination of detoxification and free radical protection makes it one of the most important cancer and aging fighters in human cells.

It plays a vital role in liver health and is especially helpful in the detoxification of drugs and pollutants. Experts on antioxidants believe that glutathione is essential for a strong immune system.

Human can easily boost intake of glutathione.  All berries, oranges, grapefruit, cantaloupe, watermelon, bananas, apples, peaches, pears, avocados and tangerines are loaded with glutathione.

A small mount of glutathione can also be made directly from methionine. Likewise, when methionine or cysteine is deficient, glutathione levels decrease.

As long as the diet contains enough methionine or cysteine, glutathione levels are likely to be adequate.

Vegetables such as carrot, yams, lettuce and other leafy greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, okra, cabbage and green pepper, and nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, almonds, and sesame seeds are also good sources.

Glutathione serves several roles in the cellular antioxidant defense system. First, glutathione directly scavenges a variety of radicals, including hydroxyl and carbon centered radicals, by donating a hydrogen atom.

A second key antioxidant function of glutathione is to remove both hydrogen and organic peroxide during reaction catalyzed by the enzyme glutathione peroxidase.
Glutathione in food

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