15 Foods High in Tryptophan to Help You Get Better Sleep

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that your body doesn’t produce, so it must be obtained from food. Although turkey is a well-known source of tryptophan, many other foods also contain a good amount, or even higher levels, of tryptophan.

Amino acids play various roles in the body besides protein synthesis. Your body uses tryptophan to synthesize several important molecules, including melatonin and serotonin.

Tryptophan is essential for brain, nervous system, metabolic, and immune functions.

Soybeans are a source of protein and essential amino acids. A cup of cooked soybeans contains almost 50% of daily iron needs and 10 grams of fiber. It’s also rich in magnesium, potassium, zinc, and folate. 

• Soy flour (1 cup/84 grams [g]): 422 milligrams (mg)
• Soybeans, cooked (1 cup/172 g): 416 mg
• Tempeh (1 cup/166 g): 322 mg
• Tofu (a quarter block/116 g): 139 mg
• Soy milk (1 cup/244 g): 112 mg
• Miso (1 tablespoon/17 g): 26 mg

A cup of oat bran (94 grams) contains 315 milligrams of tryptophan. It’s also high in fiber.

Oat bran consumption may help reduce blood cholesterol, glucose levels, and body weight. It’s also rich in other nutrients, including B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

Poultry contains high amounts of tryptophan, but it’s not the top source. Oat bran and soy flour contain more of it. However, your body digests animal-based tryptophan and plant-based tryptophan at different levels.

A study compared the digestibility of eggs, chicken, goat milk, beans, and peas and found that plant-based tryptophan was significantly less digestible than animal-based tryptophan. Chicken had the highest digestibility, followed by goat milk and egg.

Here is the tryptophan content of some poultry per 100 grams of food:

• Turkey breast: 252 mg
• Chicken breast: 237 mg
• Duck: 144 mg

Beef contains 230 milligrams of tryptophan, while lean ground beef (10% fat) has 102 milligrams per 100 grams. It’s also a great source of vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. However, it’s also high in saturated fat.

You can choose lean meats or trim separable fats to reduce total fat intake.

Seafood is a great source of tryptophan. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, E, and B12, and minerals like selenium. 

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in every cell in your body, so they’re important for heart, metabolic, and immune health—especially for eye, brain, and sperm cells. Also, 100 grams of salmon provides 66% of the daily selenium requirement, which is essential for thyroid health, preventing cell damage, DNA synthesis, and immunity.

• Canned tuna, light: 326 mg
• Salmon: 225 mg
• Catfish: 182 mg
• Pollock: 180 mg

Beans are a source of plant-based protein and tryptophan. They’re also rich in fiber. A cup of kidney beans contains 13 grams of fiber. It also provides magnesium, iron, zinc, and folate, and is low in fat.

Here is the tryptophan content of some beans per cup of food:

• Pinto beans, cooked (1 cup/171 g): 185 mg
• Kidney beans, cooked (1 cup/177 g): 182 mg
• Lima beans, cooked (1 cup/188 g): 173 mg

Dairy products have a wide range of tryptophan content. Cheese has the highest, while yogurt has the lowest. Dairy is rich in calcium and phosphorus, and it also contains a small amount of vitamin D.

Including dairy in your diet can help you meet daily requirements that support bone health. Here is the tryptophan content of some dairy products per 100 grams of food:

• Cottage cheese: 147 mg
• Butter: 12 mg
• Ricotta cheese: 115 mg
• Milk: 43 mg
• Yogurt: 20 mg

Peanuts and peanut products have a good amount of protein and tryptophan. Just 1 ounce of peanuts contains 7 grams of protein, but it’s also high in fat. While baking, replacing part of the flour with peanut flour can add a good amount of tryptophan to baked goods.

Here is the tryptophan content of one serving of peanuts and peanut products:

• Peanut flour (1 cup/60 g): 304 mg
• Peanut butter (2 tablespoons/32 g): 74 mg
• Peanuts (1 ounce/28 g): 71 mg

Nuts and nut butters contain a good amount of protein in small servings. One ounce of almonds contains 6 grams of protein. They also provide 18–24% of the daily magnesium requirement and about 50% of the vitamin E needs. 

Nuts are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends replacing part of saturated fats with unsaturated fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Here is the tryptophan content of some nuts and nut butters:

• Cashew (1 oz/28 g): 81 mg
• Almonds (1 oz/28 g): 60 mg
• Walnuts (1 oz/28 g): 48 mg
• Cashew butter (1 tbsp/16 g): 44 mg
• Almond butter (1 tbsp/16 g): 25 mg

Seeds are generally consumed in small amounts, but adding them to your breakfast oatmeal, trail mix, stews, or baked goods can contribute to your daily tryptophan intake. They’re also rich in fiber and unsaturated fatty acids.

Here is the tryptophan content of some seeds and seed butters in one serving:

• Sunflower seeds (1 oz/28 g): 84 mg
• Sesame butter (1 tbsp/15 g): 58 mg
• Sesame seeds (1 tbsp/9 g): 35 mg
• Flaxseeds (1 tbsp/7 g): 21 mg

A cup of cooked quinoa (185 grams) contains 96 milligrams of tryptophan. It’s also rich in iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and folate.

Quinoa is also a gluten-free grain, so it’s suitable for people with gluten intolerance and celiac disease.

Eggs contain all essential amino acids. One large egg (about 50 grams) contains 83 milligrams of tryptophan.

They’re high in choline, with one egg providing about 30-40% of the daily requirement for men and women. Choline is crucial for brain and nervous system function.

Buckwheat is another gluten-free grain with tryptophan. A cup of cooked buckwheat (168 grams) contains 82 milligrams of the amino acid. It also contains fiber and magnesium.

Both brown rice and white rice flour contain tryptophan, but brown rice flour has higher amounts. A cup of brown rice flour (158 grams) contains 145 milligrams of tryptophan.

Brown rice flour is also high in niacin, zinc, and manganese. Manganese is involved in many body functions, such as preventing cell damage, helping with blood clotting, and supporting bone health and immune function.

A large (369 grams) potato contains 77 milligrams of tryptophan. It’s a good source of potassium, providing as much as 60% of the daily potassium requirement for women and 46% for men.

Most adults require about 4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight of tryptophan. On average, adults consume around 800–1.000 milligrams of tryptophan daily, which typically meets this requirement. Therefore, a balanced diet generally provides enough of this essential amino acid.

You may need a higher intake for specific benefits, such as improved sleep quality. However, it’s important to note that the tolerable upper intake level is about 4,500 milligrams per day.

Tryptophan is involved in brain, nervous system, and metabolic function, as well as muscle synthesis. Many foods contain a good amount of tryptophan, including meats, seafood, dairy, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. However, your body digests most animal-based tryptophan better than plant-based tryptophan.

Eating a healthy and balanced diet can help you meet your daily tryptophan intake.