Essential for sleep, making serotonin and curbing sugar cravings; here's some easy ways to get this nutrient in to your diet
Tryptophan is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein
What is it important for?
- Necessary for the production of vitamin B3
- Needed for serotonin production ( low levels are associated with depression and anxiety)
- Required for melatonin production; vital for sleep and our circadian rhythm
- Suppresses sweet cravings and appetite
- Important for the growth and development of nerve cells
- Stimulates the production of blood proteins in the liver
Did you know…...?
Tryptophan is one of the amino acids that cannot be made by the body and must be consumed through diet.
So how can we include it in our daily diet?
Virtually all foods that contain protein will contain tryptophan
- Vegetables and fruit; bananas, broccoli, spinach, watercress, asparagus, mushrooms
- Beans ; soy beans, mung beans
- Seeds and nuts; almonds , sesame seeds, chia seeds
- Meat and fish; turkey, chicken, lamb, salmon , halibut
- Wholegrains; oats
Try an easy tryptophan rich night time snack to help with sleep ...............
Oat cakes with cottage cheese sprinkled with sesame seeds
Oat, almond milk and banana smoothie
Warm edamame beans ( soy beans) with sesame oil and sesame seeds
My weekly ‘Nutrient Spotlight’ written for Fields to Fork Organics
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