The chemical state of our brain, determined in large part by the release of neurotransmitters, directly affects our mood. These substances are directly responsible for maintaining the correct functioning of our mind and can be the key to improve our feelings, attitudes and fight diseases, such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, today we 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 is responsible for regulating functions of the draft, such as sleep, and is also a precursor of neurotransmitters as well known as serotonin and melatonin. Because of that, let’s see how we can regulate it.

Why eat foods rich in tryptophan?

The human body needs eight essential amino acids- at least, as we know-to function correctly. These are substances that cannot be produced by our body, so they have to be incorporated through diet. Of the eight, tryptophan is the hardest to get.

The problem is that it is also one of the most important. In addition to regulating the functions mentioned above, it has also been found to have very beneficial effects on the desire for unhealthy foods. On the other hand, it is believed that it is able to protect us against some types of cancer and heart problems.

In this way, incorporating some tryptophan-rich foods into a diet that is already healthy can significantly improve the quality of your life.

In this article we will talk about the following 3 foods rich in tryptophan:

1. Eggs

Eggs are one of the most reviled foods, without reason, of all that exists. For decades they have been badly publicized, due to the belief that they produced high cholesterol levels. However, in recent times it has been discovered that eating a lot of eggs is not only bad. It has a very positive impact on our health.

One of the main reasons for this positive effect is that the eggs contain all kinds of beneficial components for our body. Therefore, if you could only choose one of the foods rich in tryptophan from the list, this would be one of the best choices.

One warning: the highest concentration of tryptophan is in the yolk, so consuming only the clear is not too effective to increase the levels of this neurotransmitter in your body.

2. Meat and fish

Lately, there is much commotion in relation to the harmful effects of meat on our health following a report published by the WHO in 2014 on the relationship between this food and certain types of cancer. However, these results require a deeper analysis, and only refer to some foods of animal origin.

For example, red meats such as cow meat or pork meat, (in very high quantities) seem to cause some problems in our health. On the contrary, it has been shown that white (such as chicken or turkey) and fish (especially blue) have predominantly positive effects for most people. Among these foods rich in tryptophan can increase in tryptophan in our brain.

Thus, regular consumption of white meat and bluefish will help you maintain your ideal weight, lose fat and build muscle, and regulate both your mood and your cravings for junk food. Therefore, including more meat of this type to your diet is one of the best choices you can make.

3. Dairy

The last type of tryptophan-rich foods that we’re going to see is milk derivatives. Although some people do not tolerate them too well, those who can take them without negative consequences will discover that they have many benefits for their health.

In addition, since the popular culture is the relationship between milk and tryptophan: not in vain is a food that is recommended to take to better sleep. This has to do with the effects that this amino acid has to fight insomnia.

Despite the importance of taking this type of food, it is necessary to understand that only the fact of consuming them does not guarantee a good level of tryptophan. It is essential that you take them within a balanced diet since the production of the different neurotransmitters depends on many factors. In this case, for example, the body also needs the presence of magnesium and vitamin B6.

However, consuming the foods rich in tryptophan on this list, even if you cannot do miracles, will help you increase your well-being and quality of life.