By Lydia Wallie, Nutrition Director

What is tryptophan? Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that we can obtain through dietary sources of protein. (1) It’s especially important for our immune system since it’s a precursor for melatonin which is important for sleep. (2-4)

What are those dietary sources of protein? Some foods with high tryptophan levels include the following:

• Chicken

• Turkey

• Steak

• Salmon

• Pumpkin Seeds

• Oatmeal

• Eggs (5)

Try this blueberry protein pudding recipe which has eggs and oatmeal as the main ingredients!

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Sources:

(1) https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/tryptophan

(2) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32122523/

(3) https://925strong.com/925-blog/2020/4/1/why-sleep-is-important-for-immune-function

(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195230/

(5) https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/high-tryptophan-foods.php#high-tryptophan-foods