Tryptophan represents one of the many and varied chemicals that provide nutrients to the human body. This amino acid is characterized by being nonpolar, in addition to being one of the most elemental nutrients, since its chemical structure allows it to serve as a neurotransmitter for serotonin, melatonin and niacin. Tryptophan can only be absorbed through food.
Among the functions that this amino acid has within the body, it is possible to name:
The question is, in which foods is it possible to find this amino acid ? The foods with the highest abundance of tryptophan are: fish, meat, milk, eggs, cereals (rice, wheat, barley, etc.), legumes (soybeans, chickpeas, lentils), fruits (apples, grapes, bananas, mango, papaya, avocado, strawberries), vegetables and greens (spinach, celery, tomato, onion, cucumber, carrot, pumpkin, asparagus).
The insufficiency of tryptophan in the body can generate serious consequences for health, which if not taken care of, can represent a danger to life, since if, for example, the person does not have a sufficient level of vitamin B3 in their body, that would make her more prone to suffer from alterations in her nervous system and could lead to heart disease and in the case of children, it would affect their growth.
Just as the lack of this substance is dangerous, the excess can also negatively affect health, since there are certain circumstances in which the person cannot abuse tryptophan, one of them is that the person suffers from a kidney or liver disease, Therefore, it is advisable not to fall into excess consumption of foods that contain this substance.
Doctors recommend (in healthy people) a tryptophan consumption of 250mg per day, in this way the body can absorb it satisfactorily.
