Watching Dr Oz 3/24/12 Quiz: Tryptophan

Tryptophan helps the body to produce serotonin which plays a role in mood. Which foods, other than turkey, did Dr. Oz say contain tryptophan?

A. Shrimp
B. Walnuts
C. Broccoli
D. Watermelon

The Answer:
A. Shrimp

Your Answers:
A. Shrimp – 20%
B. Walnuts – 50%
C. Broccoli – 23%
D. Watermelon – 5%

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stay up-to-date with Watching Dr Oz!

LIKE WatchingDrOz on Facebook!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

This was a tough quiz! Your answers were all over the board!

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is necessary for serotonin production. The cannot make tryptophan so it's up to us to include it in our diet. Serotonin is one of the feel-good hormones. When serotonin levels are balanced you feel good, are in a good mood, and can sleep better. Tryptophan is also used by the body to make B vitamins necessary for skin health and digestion.

Dr. Rovenia Brock, nutrition coach, shared her Worry-Free diet plan on the 3/13/12 episode of the Dr. Oz Show. Dr. Ro broke down the diet into four categories of food that should be eaten every day. Category #2 of the Worry-Free Diet is tryptophan to create an even mood throughout the day. Dr. Ro mentioned shrimp, salmon, bananas, low-sodium soy sauce, pumpkin seeds, and kale as good sources of tryptophan.

The best food sources of tryptophan are animal, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Fruits have little to no tryptophan.

Turkey gets all the credit for being a tryptophan power-house and the cause of many a half-time naps on Thanksgiving. Turkey comes in at between 350 – 390mg of tryptophan per 4 ounce serving. There are several foods that come close to turkey in tryptophan counts.

Shrimp

A good source of omega-3 fatty acids, shrimp are also a good source of tryptophan. According to LiveStrong.com, shrimp contain 330mg per 4 ounce serving.

Walnuts

Full of fiber and health fats, walnuts come in with over 50mg of tryptophan in a ¼ cup serving. Walnuts are a great snack to help support blood sugar as well as mood.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a good plant-source of tryptophan and is full of antioxidants too.

Watermelon

It's bright red fruit indicates it's full of lycopene, an antioxidant that is beneficial to the health of blood vessels, the eyes, and the prostate.


Photo credit: Tom Curtis