Foods High in Tryptophan: Top Sources and Daily Needs

Tryptophan Foods high in tryptophan and how much you need · Amino acids

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the body needs in order to synthesize proteins. It is also a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in regulating mood, sleep, and appetite.

Women, a day

0.33 g

Men, a day

0.4 g

Per kg of body weight

about 10 mg

Foods that have it

886

Scaled to body weight (WHO/FAO amino acid requirements). For a lightly active 30-year-old: a 65 kg woman and an 80 kg man.

Among plant foods, soy mince; soy protein concentrate, 58% protein and macaroni have the most tryptophan per serving. Among animal foods, the most are in pork, pancreas; lutefish and cheese, cheddar type, 34% fat.

Plant sources

Foods highest in tryptophan

Ranked from 886 foods in our catalog, one entry per food. % of daily is for a healthy adult.

1

Pork, pancreas, cooked, braised 0.53 g

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes 152% of daily
2

Elk, cooked, roasted 0.46 g

serving (85 g) · Steaks and chops 132% of daily
3

Whey protein concentrate (75%) 0.4 g

scoop (28.7 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients 114% of daily
4

Caribou, cooked, roasted 0.39 g

serving (85 g) · Steaks and chops 111% of daily
5

Turkey mince, fat 5-6% 0.38 g

serving (110 g) · Chicken and other birds 107% of daily
6

Pheasant, breast, meat only, raw 0.37 g

serving (110 g) · Chicken and other birds 107% of daily
7

Rabbit, wild, cooked, stewed 0.37 g

serving (85 g) · Steaks and chops 106% of daily
8

Chicken breast, fried 0.33 g

serving (85 g) · Chicken and other birds 95% of daily
9

Liver, boiled 0.31 g

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes 89% of daily
10

Lutefish 0.31 g

serving (85 g) · Fish 88% of daily
11

Cheese, cheddar type, 34% fat 0.3 g

serving (55 g) · Cheese, ripened cheese 86% of daily
12

Beef, pancreas, cooked, braised 0.3 g

serving (85 g) · Offal dishes 85% of daily
13

Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, drained solids 0.29 g

serving (85 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs 82% of daily
14

Tuna 0.29 g

serving (110 g) · Fish 82% of daily
15

Soy mince 0.27 g

serving (35 g) · Pulse products 78% of daily
16

Rainbow trout, whole, average 0.26 g

serving (110 g) · Fish 74% of daily
17

Soy protein concentrate, 58% protein 0.25 g

serving (30 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients 72% of daily
18

Lobster 0.24 g

serving (110 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs 68% of daily
19

Macaroni, boiled 0.24 g

serving (140 g) · Pasta 67% of daily
20

Spaghetti, boiled 0.24 g

serving (140 g) · Pasta 67% of daily
21

Bean, yellow, mature 0.23 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses 67% of daily
22

Baltic herring, salted 0.23 g

serving (85 g) · Fish products 67% of daily
23

Herring, salted 0.23 g

serving (85 g) · Fish products 67% of daily
24

Redfish, rosefish, frozen 0.23 g

serving (110 g) · Fish products 66% of daily
25

Crayfish 0.23 g

serving (110 g) · Crustaceans and molluscs 65% of daily
26

Soy bean, boiled 0.22 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses 62% of daily
27

Skim Milk powder, lactose-free 0.21 g

serving (30 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients 60% of daily
28

Tofu, firm (with calcium sulfate) 0.2 g

serving (85 g) · Pulse products 57% of daily
29

Turkey cold cuts 0.19 g

serving (55 g) · Cold cuts, meat 54% of daily
30

Pumpkin seed 0.17 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 49% of daily
31

Tofu (without calcium sulfate) 0.16 g

block (85 g) · Pulse products 46% of daily
32

Cottage cheese, 2-5% fat 0.15 g

serving (110 g) · Cheese, unripened, fresh cheese 43% of daily
33

Cottonseed kernel, roasted (glandless) 0.15 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 42% of daily
34

Pea, green, split, mature seeds 0.14 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses 41% of daily
35

Salami, light, 15% fat 0.14 g

serving (55 g) · Cold cuts, sausages 39% of daily
36

Chia seed 0.13 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 37% of daily
37

Chicken nuggets, deep-fried, lactose-free 0.12 g

serving (85 g) · Poultry dishes 36% of daily
38

Rice, wholegrain, boiled 0.12 g

serving (140 g) · Rice 33% of daily
39

Seeds, cottonseed flour, low fat (glandless) 0.11 g

serving (15 g) · Flour 32% of daily
40

Tahini, sesami seed butter 0.11 g

serving (30 g) · Condiments 32% of daily
41

Milk, goat milk 0.11 g

serving (240 g) · Milks >2% fat 30% of daily
42

Pork and beef, canned 0.1 g

serving (85 g) · Meat products 30% of daily
43

Sour milk, fat-free, organic, without added vitamin d 0.1 g

serving (240 g) · Soured milks 29% of daily
44

Oats, rolled, oat flakes 0.09 g

serving (40 g) · Flour 27% of daily
45

Pasta, wheat germ pasta 0.09 g

serving (55 g) · Pasta 26% of daily
46

Egg, omega, without shell 0.09 g

medium piece (55 g) · Egg 26% of daily
47

Buckwheat 0.09 g

serving (45 g) · Rice 25% of daily
48

Spinach, frozen 0.09 g

serving (85 g) · Vegetables 25% of daily
49

Spinach boiled 0.09 g

serving (85 g) · Cooked vegetables 25% of daily
50

Bulgur 0.09 g

serving (45 g) · Rice 24% of daily

1

Soy mince 0.27 g

serving (35 g) · Pulse products 78% of daily
2

Soy protein concentrate, 58% protein 0.25 g

serving (30 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients 72% of daily
3

Macaroni, boiled 0.24 g

serving (140 g) · Pasta 67% of daily
4

Spaghetti, boiled 0.24 g

serving (140 g) · Pasta 67% of daily
5

Bean, yellow, mature 0.23 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses 67% of daily
6

Soy bean, boiled 0.22 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses 62% of daily
7

Tofu, firm (with calcium sulfate) 0.2 g

serving (85 g) · Pulse products 57% of daily
8

Pumpkin seed 0.17 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 49% of daily
9

Tempeh 0.16 g

serving (85 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients 47% of daily
10

Tofu (without calcium sulfate) 0.16 g

block (85 g) · Pulse products 46% of daily
11

Cottonseed kernel, roasted (glandless) 0.15 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 42% of daily
12

Pea, green, split, mature seeds 0.14 g

serving (90 g) · Pulses 41% of daily
13

Chia seed 0.13 g

serving (30 g) · Nuts, seeds and dried fruits 37% of daily
14

Rice, wholegrain, boiled 0.12 g

serving (140 g) · Rice 33% of daily
15

Seeds, cottonseed flour, low fat (glandless) 0.11 g

serving (15 g) · Flour 32% of daily
16

Tahini, sesami seed butter 0.11 g

serving (30 g) · Condiments 32% of daily
17

Oats, rolled, oat flakes 0.09 g

serving (40 g) · Flour 27% of daily
18

Pasta, wheat germ pasta 0.09 g

serving (55 g) · Pasta 26% of daily
19

Buckwheat 0.09 g

serving (45 g) · Rice 25% of daily
20

Spinach, frozen 0.09 g

serving (85 g) · Vegetables 25% of daily
21

Spinach boiled 0.09 g

serving (85 g) · Cooked vegetables 25% of daily
22

Bulgur 0.09 g

serving (45 g) · Rice 24% of daily
23

Peanut butter 0.08 g

serving (32 g) · Condiments 23% of daily
24

Wheat whole 0.08 g

serving (45 g) · Flour 23% of daily
25

Mamey sapote 0.07 g

serving (140 g) · Berries 20% of daily
26

Almond butter 0.07 g

serving (32 g) · Condiments 19% of daily
27

Rice cooking cream 0.07 g

serving (240 g) · Cream 19% of daily
28

Coconut milk 0.06 g

serving (240 g) · Vegetable juices 16% of daily
29

Seaweed, wakame, dried 0.05 g

serving (30 g) · Canned vegetables 14% of daily
30

Mushroom, crimini 0.05 g

serving (85 g) · Mushroom 14% of daily
31

Jackfruit 0.05 g

serving (140 g) · Fruits 14% of daily
32

Cherimoya 0.04 g

serving (140 g) · Fruits 12% of daily
33

Taro leaves 0.04 g

serving (85 g) · Vegetables 12% of daily
34

Barley malt for beer 0.04 g

serving (30 g) · Miscellaneous ingredients 11% of daily
35

Oyster mushroom 0.04 g

serving (85 g) · Mushroom 10% of daily
36

Sweet potato, baked 0.03 g

serving (85 g) · Cooked vegetables 10% of daily
37

French fries, frozen 0.03 g

serving (85 g) · Fried potatoes, French fries 9% of daily
38

Brussels sprout 0.03 g

serving (85 g) · Vegetables 9% of daily
39

Guava 0.03 g

serving (140 g) · Fruits 9% of daily
40

Champignon 0.03 g

serving (85 g) · Mushroom 9% of daily
41

Potato, peeled, boiled 0.03 g

serving (110 g) · Cooked potatoes 8% of daily
42

Plantains, yellow, baked 0.03 g

serving (140 g) · Fruit and berry dishes other than pies 8% of daily
43

Broccoli, boiled 0.03 g

serving (85 g) · Cooked vegetables 8% of daily
44

Bamboo shoots, canned 0.02 g

serving (130 g) · Canned vegetables 7% of daily
45

Barley malt syrup 0.02 g

serving (30 g) · Sugar and syrups 6% of daily
46

Coconut water, unsweetened 0.02 g

cup (240 g) · Vegetable juices 5% of daily
47

Popcorn, cooking oil 0.02 g

serving (30 g) · Savoury snacks 5% of daily
48

Elderberry 0.02 g

serving (140 g) · Berries 5% of daily
49

Tomato, crushed, canned 0.02 g

serving (130 g) · Canned vegetables 4% of daily
50

Strawberry 0.01 g

serving (140 g) · Berries 3% of daily

Learn about tryptophan

What does tryptophan do for the body?

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that serves as a precursor for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to mood regulation, sleep, and overall well-being. It also plays a role in the synthesis of niacin (vitamin B3), which is important for energy production and metabolism.

How much tryptophan do I need?

The recommended daily allowance for tryptophan is around 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. For example, a person weighing 70 kilograms would require approximately 350 milligrams of tryptophan per day.

What if your tryptophan intake is low?

To increase tryptophan levels, you can incorporate foods high in tryptophan into your diet, such as turkey, chicken, nuts, seeds, tofu, and cheese.

How do vegans get their tryptophan intake?

Vegans can get their tryptophan intake from plant-based sources such as soy products (tofu, tempeh), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and sesame seeds. Additionally, they can also incorporate foods like quinoa, oats, and spinach into their diet to ensure adequate tryptophan intake.

How much tryptophan do you need?

Enter your details for your own daily value.

Sex Age

Weight

kg or lbs

Height

cm or ft in

Activity

Your daily tryptophan

0.33 g

An estimate for healthy adults. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and medical conditions change what you need.

Related nutrients

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