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Food Name | Tryptophan | Protein | Score |
Butter, salted | 12 | 0.85 | 202 |
Butter, whipped, with salt | 12 | 0.85 | 202 |
Butter oil, anhydrous | 4 | 0.28 | 204 |
Cheese, blue | 312 | 21.40 | 208 |
Cheese, brick | 324 | 23.24 | 199 |
Cheese, brie | 322 | 20.75 | 222 |
Cheese, camembert | 307 | 19.80 | 222 |
Cheese, caraway | 324 | 25.18 | 184 |
Cheese, cheddar | 320 | 24.90 | 184 |
Cheese, cheshire | 300 | 23.37 | 183 |
Cheese, colby | 305 | 23.76 | 183 |
Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd | 147 | 11.12 | 189 |
Cheese, cottage, creamed, with fruit | 118 | 10.69 | 158 |
Cheese, cottage, nonfat, uncreamed, dry, large or small curd | 137 | 10.34 | 189 |
|
Usage Note
- Amino acid content is in milligrams, protein value in grams, and are measured per
100g of food weight.
- Click on column header to sort foods by name or by column's content.
- Amino-Acid Score:
- The score is the ratio of the amino acid in the food's protein over the same amino
acid in the reference protein expressed in percentage.
- This score is for determining the limiting amino acid in a food item. A score below
100 indicates that a food's protein is incomplete. However, a score higher than 100 for a particular
amino acid does not necessarily mean that a food's protein is complete. Scores of
other essential amino acids of the food also have to be 100 or higher for its protein to be
considered complete.
- The limiting amino acid of a food is defined as the essential amino acid present
in the lowest amount compared to a reference protein or to human requirements.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins. When proteins are
digested, amino acids are left. The human body requires a number of amino acids
to grow and breakdown food.
Amino acids are classified into two groups: essential and nonessential amino acids.
- Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body and must be supplied by food. These
include leucine, lysine, tryptophan, etc. Sources of essential amino acids include
milk, cheese, eggs, certain meats, vegetables, nuts, and grains.
- Nonessential amino acids can be made by the body from the essential amino acids
or normal breakdown of proteins. They include aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and
glycine, etc.
Complete Protein
A complete protein (or whole protein) is a source of protein that contains
an adequate proportion of all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for the
dietary needs of humans or other animals. Some incomplete protein sources may contain
all essential amino acids, but a complete protein contains them in correct proportions
for supporting biological functions in the human body.
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an amino acid needed for normal growth in infants and for nitrogen
balance in adults. It is an essential amino acid, which means your body cannot produce
it -- you must get it from your diet.
The body uses tryptophan to help make niacin and serotonin. Serotonin is thought
to produce healthy sleep and a stable mood.
In order for tryptophan in the diet to be changed into niacin, the body needs to
have enough:
- Iron
- Riboflavin
- Vitamin B6
Tryptophan and Depression
5 Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and tryptophan are natural alternatives to traditional antidepressants that are used to treat unipolar depression and dysthymia.
Studies have shown a connection between tryptophan depletion and depressive symptoms (especially in women). Available evidence does suggest these substances are better than placebo at alleviating depression.
Our Protein and Amino Acid Online Databases
See our most complete directory of Protein and Amino Acid Online Databases with nutrient databases from the US, UK, Canada, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, etc.
Tryptophan Food Sources
List of 100 foods highest in tryptophan. Tryptophan content is in grams per 100
grams of food weight.
| Foods Rich in Tryptophan |
Tryptophan (g) |
| Sea lion, Steller, meat with fat (Alaska Native) |
1.600 |
| Egg, white, dried, powder, glucose reduced |
1.266 |
| Sea lion, Steller, kidney (Alaska Native) |
1.200 |
| Egg, white, dried, flakes, glucose reduced |
1.181 |
| Soy protein isolate, potassium type, crude protein basis |
1.116 |
| Soy protein isolate |
1.116 |
| Soy protein isolate, potassium type |
1.116 |
| Soy protein isolate, PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, ProPlus |
1.100 |
| Soy protein isolate, PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, SUPRO |
1.100 |
| Seeds, sesame flour, low-fat |
1.097 |
| Seaweed, spirulina, dried |
0.929 |
| Seeds, sesame flour, partially defatted |
0.882 |
| Soy protein concentrate, produced by alcohol extraction |
0.835 |
| Soy protein concentrate, produced by acid wash |
0.835 |
| Soy protein concentrate, crude protein basis (N x 6.25), produced by acid wash |
0.835 |
| Whale, beluga, meat, dried (Alaska Native) |
0.797 |
| Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, dried (Alaska Native) |
0.795 |
| Egg, whole, dried, stabilized, glucose reduced |
0.771 |
| Winged beans, mature seeds, raw |
0.762 |
| Seeds, cottonseed flour, low fat (glandless) |
0.752 |
| Tofu, dried-frozen (koyadofu) |
0.747 |
| Tofu, dried-frozen (koyadofu), prepared with calcium sulfate |
0.747 |
| Seeds, cottonseed meal, partially defatted (glandless) |
0.741 |
| Seeds, sunflower seed flour, partially defatted |
0.735 |
| Fish, cod, Atlantic, dried and salted |
0.704 |
| Soy flour, defatted, crude protein basis (N x 6.25) |
0.683 |
| Soy flour, defatted |
0.683 |
| Soy flour, low-fat, crude protein basis (N x 6.25) |
0.676 |
| Foods Rich in Tryptophan |
Tryptophan (g) |
| Seeds, sesame flour, high-fat |
0.674 |
| Soy meal, defatted, raw, crude protein basis (N x 6.25) |
0.653 |
| Soy meal, defatted, raw |
0.653 |
| Pork, fresh, variety meats and by-products, pancreas, cooked, braised |
0.625 |
| Mollusks, whelk, unspecified, cooked, moist heat |
0.618 |
| Seeds, cottonseed flour, partially defatted (glandless) |
0.618 |
| Cheese, mozzarella, part skim milk, low moisture |
0.603 |
| Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, partially dried (Alaska Native) |
0.601 |
| Soybeans, mature seeds, raw |
0.591 |
| Fish, whitefish, dried (Alaska Native) |
0.580 |
| Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried |
0.576 |
| Soybeans, mature seeds, dry roasted |
0.575 |
| Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, without salt |
0.569 |
| Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, with salt added |
0.569 |
| Cheese, parmesan, shredded |
0.560 |
| Game meat, elk, cooked, roasted |
0.545 |
| Leavening agents, yeast, baker's, active dry |
0.540 |
| Cheese, parmesan, grated |
0.518 |
| Parsley, freeze-dried |
0.516 |
| Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk |
0.515 |
| Soybeans, mature seeds, roasted, no salt added |
0.512 |
| Soybeans, mature seeds, roasted, salted |
0.512 |
| Milk, dry, nonfat, regular, with added vitamin A and vitamin D |
0.510 |
| Milk, dry, nonfat, regular, without added vitamin A and vitamin D |
0.510 |
| Smelt, dried (Alaska Native) |
0.510 |
| Peanut flour, defatted |
0.507 |
| Soy flour, full-fat, roasted |
0.506 |
| Soy flour, full-fat, roasted, crude protein basis (N x 6.25) |
0.506 |
| Soy flour, full-fat, raw |
0.502 |
| Foods High in Tryptophan |
Tryptophan (g) |
| Soy flour, full-fat, raw, crude protein basis (N x 6.25) |
0.502 |
| Milk, dry, nonfat, calcium reduced |
0.501 |
| Milk, dry, nonfat, instant, with added vitamin A and vitamin D |
0.495 |
| Milk, dry, nonfat, instant, without added vitamin A and vitamin D |
0.495 |
| Seeds, cottonseed kernels, roasted (glandless) |
0.492 |
| Milk, buttermilk, dried |
0.484 |
| Cheese, parmesan, hard |
0.482 |
| Spices, parsley, dried |
0.475 |
| Game meat, caribou, cooked, roasted |
0.458 |
| Game meat, rabbit, wild, cooked, stewed |
0.436 |
| Seeds, chia seeds, dried |
0.436 |
| Lamb, domestic, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised |
0.415 |
| Game meat, elk, raw |
0.414 |
| T.G.I. FRIDAY'S, classic sirloin steak |
0.410 |
| Pork, ground, 96% lean / 4% fat, cooked, pan-broiled |
0.409 |
| Pork, fresh, variety meats and by-products, pancreas, raw |
0.407 |
| Beef, round, top round, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised |
0.405 |
| Beef, round, top round, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, braised |
0.405 |
| Goose, domesticated, meat only, cooked, roasted |
0.403 |
| Seeds, safflower seed meal, partially defatted |
0.403 |
| Game meat, goat, cooked, roasted |
0.403 |
| Game meat, rabbit, domesticated, composite of cuts, cooked, stewed |
0.401 |
| Beef, loin, top sirloin filet, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled |
0.401 |
| Egg Mix, USDA Commodity |
0.400 |
| Duck, young duckling, domesticated, White Pekin, leg, meat only, bone in, cooked without skin, |
0.400 |
| Sea lion, Steller, liver (Alaska Native) |
0.400 |
| Beef, plate steak, boneless, inside skirt, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, |
0.400 |
| Foods High in Tryptophan |
Tryptophan (g) |
| Beef, round, top round, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, braised |
0.399 |
| Beef, round, top round, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, braised |
0.399 |
| Lamb, Australian, imported, fresh, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, |
0.399 |
| Cereals ready-to-eat, wheat germ, toasted, plain |
0.398 |
| Lamb, New Zealand, imported, frozen, shoulder, whole (arm and blade), separable lean only, |
0.398 |
| Seeds, sesame butter, paste |
0.396 |
| Pork, ground, 96% lean / 4% fat, cooked, crumbles |
0.394 |
| Lamb, domestic, cubed for stew or kabob (leg and shoulder), separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" |
0.394 |
| Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, from unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat) |
0.393 |