What Foods Are High in Glutathione
If you want to know what foods are high in glutathione and how can you can get them then this article is for you.
Glutathione is a molecule that has antioxidant properties. It is also known as the “master anti-aging” molecule due to its many benefits for health and longevity. The main sources of glutathione are food, supplements, and sunlight. In this article, we will discuss foods that have high levels of glutathione per serving size so you can incorporate them into your diet!
Glutathione – Overview
Glutathione is a molecule that the body produces naturally. It has antioxidant properties, and this makes it useful for detoxification, fighting disease, protecting cells from aging, and improving overall health. Glutathione also plays an important role in preventing liver damage when alcohol consumption reaches high levels or there is exposure to other toxins like cigarette smoke.
The main sources of glutathione are food, supplements, and sunlight. Glutathione is made inside the body by some cells (like liver cells) but it can also be absorbed from your diet or added as a supplement.
Why is Glutathione Important?
Glutathione is important for all cells because it can protect DNA from damage, which helps stop the formation of cancerous growths. It also plays a role in reducing inflammation throughout the body and improving brain function by preventing the accumulation of neurotoxic homocysteine levels found during chronic stress.
Glutathione is essential for detoxification in the liver, and it helps protect against any side effects that might result from drug treatments like chemotherapy or antibiotic use. When combined with vitamin C, glutathione can help to eliminate free radicals throughout the body while boosting your immune system response so you stay healthy during cold and flu season.
Benefits of Glutathione
There are many benefits of glutathione, which is why it’s one of the most popular supplements on the market. Glutathione can help protect your cells from damage and mutation caused by free radicals (molecules produced during cellular processes).
Glutathione has even been shown to help people with some forms of depression. People who are depressed have lower levels of glutathione in their brains, so increasing your intake can be helpful for this condition!
Glutathione also helps keep your liver healthy by removing harmful chemicals that could harm you.
Glutathione is crucial for the immune system. It helps activate T-cells, which are important to your body’s defense mechanisms against foreign invaders like viruses or bacteria.
By keeping your cells safe from damage and supporting liver health, glutathione can also help protect you from cancer!
What Foods Are High in Glutathione?
The best way to get more glutathione in your diet is through foods that are high in the substance. Unfortunately, there aren’t many foods that naturally contain glutathione (it’s usually supplemented) so you’ll need to rely on other sources if you want to increase your levels through diet alone.
One great source of glutathione is whey protein powder. Whey is a by-product of cheese production and is commonly used as a protein powder supplement. Whey contains around 25mg of glutathione per tablespoon, which may not seem like much but it can add up quickly if you drink whey protein on a regular basis!
Cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli have the highest levels of glutathione per serving size.
Beets, oranges, and garlic are also high in glutathione levels per serving size!
Other foods that have moderate amounts of glutathione include:
- Apples
- Asparagus
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Red grapes
- Tomatoes
- Avocados
- Spinach leaves
- Kiwis
- Broccoli sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Strawberries
- Sugar snap peas
- Watermelon
- Parsley
Grapefruit juice or grapefruits themselves have also been shown to be high in glutathione. However, the amount of actual glutathione they contain is much lower than whey protein powder or other foods.
One important thing to note is that cooking these foods can destroy glutathione, so you’ll need to eat them raw or at least lightly steamed. You should also be aware of the fact that cooked vegetables are less nutritious in general, even if they contain high amounts of substances like glutathione, so you’ll need to eat more raw vegetables if you want the full health benefits.
Glutathione Supplements
It’s also possible to increase your glutathione levels by taking supplements like N-acetylcysteine (NAC), Cellgevity, alpha lipoic acid, or whey protein powder that has been enriched with glutathione.
These supplements can be extremely helpful for liver detoxification and increasing your levels of antioxidants, especially if you’re eating a diet that isn’t very high in fresh vegetables. However, they won’t contain as much glutathione as foods or whey protein powder so you might need to take higher doses than normal to get the same benefits.
Sunlight
You can also increase your body’s levels of glutathione by getting more sunlight, which stimulates the production of vitamin D. Vitamin D is needed to help you absorb calcium and phosphorus from food so it’s crucial for building strong bones!
Getting some sun exposure every day has many other health benefits as well including increased energy and improved mood.
Adding Glutathione-Rich Foods To Your Diet
You can help give your body more glutathione by eating plenty of leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Be sure to steam broccoli, as this reduces the sulfur smell that is associated with these vegetables. You should also be careful about how much raw garlic you eat since it’s been shown to decrease levels of GSH in some people.
Avoiding foods that are high in oxidized glutathione also helps. These include processed meats like sausage and hot dogs since they contain nitrates which can convert to free radicals when heated at certain temperatures (such as the ones used for cooking). Glutathione is also destroyed by exposure to ultraviolet light, so it’s best not to eat your veggies or fruits while they’re out in the sun.
Adding supplements to your diet is another great way to get more glutathione, especially if you struggle with eating enough vegetables and fruit every day (and who doesn’t?).
It’s also safe for most people to take multiple sources of this antioxidant at once since there are no known interactions between sources of glutathione.
There are many benefits to taking this supplement, including increasing your energy levels and helping you get rid of toxins in the body!
Conclusion
In conclusion, many foods are high in glutathione that you can eat in your daily life to increase glutathione in your body. And eating a diet high in vegetables and fruits is one of the best ways to increase your levels of glutathione. However, it’s also possible to take supplements or add certain foods that are rich in this antioxidant if you struggle with maintaining a nutritious diet every day!
We hope this article helped you know what foods are high in glutathione and if it did, don’t forget to share it with the people you care for.