Serotonin helps to regulate our mood and makes us feel more positive overall—there’s a reason it’s called the happy hormone! However, serotonin does so much more. It helps regulate our sleep schedules and our digestion. It even improves our memory! With so many benefits, we should all be looking for ways to increase our serotonin.
One easy way to add more into our body is by eating foods with high levels of tryptophan. While you might know tryptophan as the thing that makes us sleepy after eating turkey on Thanksgiving, its actually super beneficial. Eat more of these common foods with tryptophan to boost your mood!
Tofu
Good news for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone who just loves tofu—soy products are full of tryptophan and are therefore great additions to any meal, to make you happier and healthier.
Eggs
Everyone’s go-to breakfast foods are full of tryptophan, along with many other nutrients and vitamins. Make sure to eat the yolks, as these contain the highest amount of nutrients in the overall egg.
Salmon
We knew that eating a salmon bowl made us feel good inside, but now there’s scientific evidence for why. Salmon is a great protein to add to meals, and its full of tryptophan and other nutrients that help balance your cholesterol and lower blood pressure.
Nuts and Seeds
If you’re feeling snacky, make yourself a little trail mix of nuts and seeds, and get a little dose of serotonin. Nuts and seeds are great sources of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and of course, trytophan.
