A list of foods rich in Tryptophan for sleep.
L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which we consume in the diet from eating certain
foods.
This is very important because it is used as one of the raw materials to make a sleep
hormone called melatonin.
Getting more tryptophan into the diet has been shown to boost your mood, brain function,
digestion and improve sleep quality.
Let's take a look at the 15 best foods sources of Tryptophan for improving your sleep.
1. Spirulina This is a healthy seaweed which is often used
as a source of protein for Vegans and Vegetarians. 1 ounce of spirulina contains 26.9mg of Tryptophan.
2. Spinach 1 cup of spinach leaves contains 156mg of
Tryptophan. This is also a fantastic leafy green for building healthy red blood cells.
3. Egg Whites Eggs contain all the building blocks of life
and are rich in amino acids like tryptophan. The white of one egg contains 41.2mg of tryptophan.
4. Crab Meat These shellfish are an excellent source of
minerals and contain an astonishing 439mg of tryptophan in a single leg of crab.
5. Halibut 100g of Halibut fish contains 335mg of Tryptophan,
making this a very rich source of this amino acid. Eating fish 3 times per week is a great
way to improve your sleep and mood.
6. Shrimp Shrimp are also an excellent source of trace
minerals and contain 291mg of Tryptophan in a 100g portion. These work well in healthy
stir fries with vegetables and soy sauce.
7. Lobster As you can see shellfish tend to come in high
in tryptophan, with lobster containing 285mg of in a 100g portion.
8. Quail Quail is a fantastic source of protein, especially
tryptophan. 1 single breast of quail contains 198mg of tryptophan.
9. Pork Pork is well known for its benefits in calming
the nervous system and helping people to relax. It contains 625mg of the amino acid tryptophan
in a 100g portion.
10. Watercress One of the healthiest vegetables for detoxifying
the liver, watercress also comes in high containing 10.2mg in 1 cup. This doesn’t sound like
much, but watercress is very easy to consume in large portions as it is light and low calorie.
11. Salmon Arguably the healthiest fish on the planet,
wild caught salmon contains 320mg of tryptophan in a 100g portion of the fish. This is also
a fantastic source of omega 3 fatty acids for improving brain health.
12. Turkey Turkey is also rich in B vitamins which support
the production of sleep hormones and important neurotransmitters. It contains 275mg of tryptophan
in 100g of breast meat.
13. Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds provide an enormous amount of
magnesium, which works with tryptophan to produce melatonin the brain. This hormone
triggers your wake/sleep cycles. 1 cup of these seeds contains 431mg of tryptophan.
Snack on these an hour before bed to aid sleep.
14. Cod 1 fillet of pacific cod contains 231mg of
tryptophan, making this an excellent food for relaxation.
15. Haddock Last but not least, haddock comes in high
at 409mg of tryptophan in a single fillet. Haddock is also rich in minerals that strengthen
your bones and regulate your heart rate.
As you can see there are many foods that you can eat which are rich in tryptophan which
are important for brain health in particular.
Tryptophan is converted into Vitamin B3 also known as niacin, and is also involved with
making serotonin, melatonin and other important chemicals in the brain.
In order for the body to convert this it also needs adequate amounts of iron, Vitamin B6
and Vitamin B2.
Luckily these nutrients also come naturally from many of the foods listed today, as nature
tends to provide the complex of nutrients in an easy to digest package.
If you are having trouble sleeping, or waking up during the night you may want to watch
our other videos on the best foods, supplements and tips to improve sleep.
Please select our "brain health" playlist at the end to learn more about this.
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