There is absolutely no doubt that anxiety can be a debilitating illness. There are millions of people all around the world that suffer from intense anxiety and it will negatively impact the rest of their lives.
Anxiety can lead to depression and isolation. In return, it can greatly decrease the patient’s quality of life. While anxiety might seem like a desperate situation, it is vital to realize that there are some remedies out there.
There are anti-anxiety medications and there are certain foods that can help fight anxiety. Within this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn more about rich 5-HTP foods that will help combat your anxiety.
What Is 5-HTP?
Before going any further, it is vital to better familiarize yourself with 5-HTP or 5-hydroxytryptophan. This chemical is a byproduct of L-tryptophan, which is a protein building block.
It can be produced from the seeds of an African plant and is used commercially for numerous purposes. For instance, it is used to combat sleeping disorders, PMS, insomnia, depression, and even migraines.
And of course, this unique chemical is also very effective in synergy with other neurotransmitters and micronutrients like GABA, Niacin, and Biotin for alleviating anxiety. So, how does it work? Well, it causes the body to produce more serotonin. This is vitally important since serotonin helps to improve the appetite, mood and sleeping patterns.
5-HTP foods can help stave off anxiety. Below, you will learn about some of the richest 5-HTP foods.
No 5-HTP Foods
Surprisingly, it is impossible to find foods that contain 5-HTP. In fact, this chemical is not found in foods. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot increase the amount of 5-HTP found in your body by changing your diet.
There is another amino acid, which is responsible for helping the body produce more 5-HTP. This amino acid is known as tryptophan.
By increasing your intake of tryptophan, you will also be able to speed up your body’s production of 5-HTP. There are many foods that contain a high level of tryptophan, so you will definitely want to add more of these foods to your diet.
Pumpkin And Squash Seeds
If you’re a fan of seeds, you’re in luck. There are numerous seeds that contain this crucial ingredient, but pumpkin and squash seeds are the best.
Each ounce of seeds will contain roughly 161 milligrams of Tryptophan. Therefore, if you consume a lot of squash or pumpkin seeds on a regular basis, there is a pretty good chance that your body will be able to produce more 5-HTP.
Milk Products
Don’t you just love milk products? If you answered yes to this question, you’ll be happy to know that there are many milk products that continue plenty of tryptophan. Whole milk, soy milk, and yogurt all contain tryptophan.
You should add more dairy to your diet. These foods are delicious and they’ll help your body produce more 5-HTP.
In return, this will improve your sleeping patterns and help you stave off that devastating anxiety!
Lots Of Meats
You’ll be happy to know that there are tons of meat products that continue tryptophan. Mutton, beef liver, chicken breast, and even turkey breast can provide you with a lot of tryptophan. You can also enjoy calf’s liver and venison.
These foods are downright delicious and they’ll provide your body with the tryptophan it needs to produce an adequate amount of 5-HTP. If you’re suffering from intense anxiety, you should definitely consider eating more meat!
READ MORE: These 9 Foods contain MSG, and you probably didn’t know about it.
Vegetables
There is no doubt that vegetables are incredibly delicious. They’re also very healthy. If you’re smart, you’ll consume a lot of vegetables each and every day.
The good news is that there are tons of vegetables that contain tryptophan. Spinach, eggplant, green peas, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and more vegetables contain this crucial chemical.
This is why it is a good idea to eat a large salad on a regular basis. Doing so will help your body acquire a sufficient amount of 5-HTP, so you can keep your anxiety at bay.
READ MORE: How to Raise Your Vibration With Nutrition
Delicious Fruits
Fruits are another great option for people suffering from severe anxiety. Numerous fruits contain tryptophan. Apples, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, pineapples, and bananas all contain this chemical.
By adding more fruits to your daily intake, you’ll be able to force your body to produce more 5-HTP. In return, this will minimize the impact of your anxiety and help you live a normal, fulfilling life!
Images credit – Shutterstock & Getty Images
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As a founder and chief author at InsightState.com, Bulgarea Candin helps readers on their spiritual journeys. His writings are designed to inspire creativity and personal growth, guiding readers on their journey to a more fulfilled and enlightened life.
Alice Berg
Friday 30th of October 2020
I have a son that needs to have some help with anxiety. He is 32 and has spectrum of autisum. Medicines and herbs dont work the same as most people. I am thinking food is the best choice. He is over weight and I know he eats his anxiety away, which does not last. He don't sleep well and his eating habits are horrible. I will let you know how things go in about a month.
Heather Humanitarian
Friday 18th of December 2020
Alice, please consider that often people with autism struggle to absorb B vitamins due to digestive issues. My son had to get B vitamin injections to boost his levels. The B vitamins coupled with a casein free gluten free diet made a lasting transformation in his ability to feel alive and vibrant. I had previously tried the gluten free casein free diet though was unaware of how some foods listed as gluten free are allowed to have small amounts of gluten. Small almost nonexistent amounts of gluten even traces of gluten in shared cookware can set someone back for up to 8 months. Once my son was truly void of any gluten and casein for just 2 weeks, he became a happy full functioning joyful human being. As this lovely website mentions, whole foods are ideal to create the foundation necessary for continued balance.
Nita
Sunday 20th of January 2019
Hi there, thanks for this informative post, good to be reaffirmed that a healthy diet can alleviate anxiety and depression. The food we eat truly has a profound effect on our mental health as well as our physical and spiritual health. With this in mind (and at heart), I would like to add, that in order to really make this world a better place to live (while improving ourselves), we do need to extend our 'field of empathy' also toward other sentient beings like animals, as well as our living planet Earth. Encouraging people to just "eat lots of meat" to help with anxiety is maybe not appropriate, considering most animals have suffered throughout their lives (in factory farms!), and went through a heap of anxiety themselves during the process of them and their friends and families becoming sausages! I know some people seem to feel better when they have some meat in their diet, but studying the diet habits of healthier peoples around the world, red meat seems to be only an occasional treat. When encouraging people to eat meat (especially in this holistic context), I truly wish for sufficient emphasis to be placed upon the type of meat one should choose to consume: meat from an animal that has lived its life the way nature intended, and which has been treated with dignity and respect in the process of becoming sausages! This also applies to the cows that are working very hard for us to be able to consume milk products, to the chickens kept for laying eggs for us, and yes, to all the plant based food products as well! We need to choose to grow and eat things in a natural, wholistic way, that does not destroy our planet! (Biodynamics, Organics, Permaculture, Care Farming, etc). It can't be overemphasised how important this dignity and respect is in the process of us as a humanity becoming the custodians we were meant to be for this planet and its creatures, and yes, for ourselves and our families, too, since everything is interconnected! We treat our environment and other people just as we treat ourselves. All this anxiety we suffer has a great deal to do with the senseless exploitative behaviour so many humans display this time and age, which reflects itself in many aspects of the business world and the work force in which most of us have to participate in order to survive. And since this website is about improving our lives and getting in touch with Spirit and our optimal health on all levels, I also wish to remind that this process of change, if we want it to go deep and to last, essentially cannot be achieved through attempting to fight and combat the negative and troublesome effects of our out-of-balance lifestyles, but rather through integrating, inter-weaving and allowing the flow of the healing effects of our more wholesome decisions we make about our lives and nourishment. We can "nourish anxiety out of our systems", and as we dare to give ourselves the love we deserve, on all levels, anxiety just melts away, without having to "combat" it. Through the attitude of combat, we tense up, and the healing energies we wish to introduce have a hard time flowing through and doing their work! I know anxiety can make one impatient, but it's important to relax, and let it flow. Spending time in nature has a calming and healing effect and works wonderfully for achieving inner peace and balance. Thank You for taking your time to read this looong comment ;-) Blessings Nita
Heather
Friday 18th of December 2020
Beautiful insight Nita, thank you for being you and using your voice to emphasize compassion when making food choices.
Sunday 27th of October 2019
Thank you Nita for the wonderfully expressed comment. I even printed out to share it as much as possible.