Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects our mood and emotions. When your body has a deficiency in serotonin levels, you may experience symptoms of depression, such as trouble sleeping and sadness. You may also experience problems with anger control, irritable bowel syndrome and migraines, according to Dr. George Boeree in his article "Neurotransmitters," published by Shippensburg University. Serotonin is a derivative of tryptophan, an amino acid present in different foods such as meat, dried dates, bananas, milk and peanuts. You can take tryptophan as a supplement or introduce tryptophan-rich foods into your diet to increase your serotonin levels.
Step 1
Make a typtophan-rich smoothie for breakfast incorporating banana, milk and oatmeal. According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin B6 is necessary for converting tryptophan into serotonin. Bananas and milk contain tryptophan, and oatmeal and bananas are good sources of vitamin B6, according to the National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. You can add other ingredients to your smoothie to have a variety of flavors throughout your week.
Step 2
Cook any type of fish for lunch with a side salad of collard greens and seaweed, which, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, contain tryptophan. Chicken and meat also contain tryptophan, but you should make sure they are organic, since factory-raised cattle and poultry are fed hormones and given antibiotics that make their way to your plate and may cause you health problems. If you are vegetarian, replace the meats with tofu and tempeh, which is fermented soy. According to SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, operated by Stanford University, both these lean proteins are a good source of tryptophan.
Step 3
Have a light meal for dinner, and a couple of hours later, right before bedtime, drink a glass of warm organic milk. It is important to drink your warm milk when you have finished digesting your dinner in order for your body to fully absorb the tryptophan present in the milk.
Step 4
Eat tryptophan-rich snacks during the day, which may include roasted peanuts, dry dates and raw chocolate.
Tips and Warnings
- If you choose to take tryptophan as a supplement on top of your dietary intake, you should skip drinking milk at night and instead take your tryptophan pills with a fruit juice such as apple juice, which will help your body absorb it more quickly into your bloodstream.
Things You'll Need
- Bananas
- Milk
- Oatmal
- Collard greens
- Seaweed
- Dry dates
- Roasted peanuts
- Fish
- Meat
- Tempeh
- Tofu
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