Three Foods Rich in Tryptophan

Our brain’s chemical state is mostly determined by the release of neurotransmitters, which directly affect our mood. These substances are responsible for keeping our brain functioning as it should and can be the key to improving our feelings and attitudes and thus can help fight diseases such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, today we decided to bring you a list of foods rich in tryptophan that can help you in this regard.

Tryptophan is one of the most important amino acids. It’s responsible for regulating functions such as sleep and is also a precursor of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and melatonin. Now that we’ve explained what it is, let’s see how we can regulate it.

Why eat foods rich in tryptophan?

The human body needs eight essential amino acids to function correctly. These are substances that the body can’t produce, so we must incorporate them through our diet. Tryptophan is the hardest one to obtain.

However, it’s the most important one of all. In addition to regulating the functions we mentioned above, researchers have found that it has very beneficial effects on our desire for unhealthy foods. On the other hand, it’s believed that tryptophan is able to protect us against some types of cancer and heart problems.

Thus, incorporating foods rich in tryptophan into an already healthy diet can significantly improve your quality of life. In this article, we’ll be talking about the following foods:

• Eggs.
• Meat and fish.
• Dairy products.

Let’s delve deeper into them.

Eggs

Many people believe that eggs can boost their cholesterol levels, which may explain why consuming eggs has always been quite frowned-upon. However, it was discovered that eggs aren’t bad at all. In fact, they can have a really positive impact on our health.

They contain all kinds of beneficial components for our body. Therefore, if you could only choose one of the foods rich in tryptophan from this list, this would be your best bet.

Keep in mind that the highest concentration of tryptophan lies in the yolk, so consuming only egg whites isn’t going to be very effective if you want to increase your levels of this amino acid.

Meat and fish

The World Health Organization (WHO) published a report in 2014 that discussed the relationship between meat and certain types of cancer. This caused an uproar since people began to associate this food only with harmful effects. However, the results of this investigation require a deeper analysis.

It’s true that red meats (such as cow meat or pork meat) can cause some health problems. However, different studies show that white meat (such as chicken or turkey) and fish (especially bluefish) have predominantly positive effects for most people.

This means that a regular consumption of white meat and bluefish can help an individual maintain their ideal weight, as well as lose fat and gain muscle. Another important fact about these foods is that they help regulate junk food cravings. Don’t hesitate to include more meat and fish into your diet – you won’t regret it!

Dairy products

The last foods rich in tryptophan that we’re going to be talking about are milk derivatives. Although many people are lactose intolerant, those who can consume dairy products should know that they have many health benefits.

In fact, the relationship between dairy products and tryptophan is widely known. Why do you think it’s recommended to drink milk before going to bed? This has to do with the power this amino acid has to fight insomnia.

Despite how important it is to consume these foods, it’s important to bear in mind that doing so doesn’t guarantee good tryptophan levels. It’s essential for people to maintain a healthy and balanced diet since the production of different transmitters relies on several factors. For example, people also need magnesium and vitamin b6.

Even though these foods rich in tryptophan aren’t miraculous, they’ll definitely increase your well-being and quality of life. Try them out!