4 Melatonin-Rich Foods

In this article you can find out what foods contain melatonin and are helpful for you to fall asleep naturally. Currently, melatonin is taken as a natural supplement to improve sleep patterns and fight the uncomfortable effects of jet lag. You can buy capsules of this hormone in many health food stores. However, you can include selenium-rich foods in your diet.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your biological clock sleep patterns and wakefulness. Human bodies naturally synthesize small amounts of melatonin through the pineal gland. Once released into the bloodstream, the hormone tells your body the rhythm it must follow throughout the day.

The production of melatonin decreases as you age. Therefore, babies often sleep many hours a day, while older adults may have troubles sleeping. In addition to regulating sleep, melatonin is important for strengthening the immune system. Eating foods that contain melatonin usually improves the body’s natural defenses, mainly in the elderly and children.

Read this article too: How to Regulate Melatonin and Sleep Better

Benefits and Indications of Melatonin

The controlled consumption of melatonin can prevent several diseases, which helps strengthen the immune system and slows down cells from aging. For older adults, maintaining good levels of this hormone usually means having a better quality of life and longevity.

This hormone is also an important ally for travelers that often go to countries in different time zones. It helps regulate the metabolism and promotes adaptation, and in turn prevents symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or excessive sleepiness.

Melatonin deficiency can cause severe insomnia or troubles sleeping in adults and children. Therefore, consuming melatonin supplements is highly recommended as a natural hormone replacement.

If that wasn’t enough, the “sleep hormone” is also used to treat and prevent the following disorders:

• The so-called “smoking syndrome” (preventing and treating withdrawal symptoms in people who recently quit smoking).
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Movement disorders such as Tardive dyskinesia (TD).
• Osteoporosis and severe loss of muscle mass.
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
• Fibromyalgia.
• Epilepsy.

Things to Consider and Contraindications about Consuming Selenium 

Before taking any new supplement, whether natural or processed, it’s important to talk a trusted doctor beforehand. Remember taking an excessive amount of any element, including hormones and vitamins, can cause imbalances in your body and harm your health.

Also, you should check with a medical specialist in regard to what would be a recommended daily dose for you to maintain a balanced diet. Remember that an adult can take up to 700 mg of melatonin per day. An excessive amount of this hormone can cause kidney and liver damage and can lead to poisoning.

Pregnant or nursing women and people who are taking antidepressant drugs or steroids should stop taking melatonin. Moreover, patients suffering from diabetes, allergies, and other diseases should also avoid taking melatonin.

4 Selenium-Rich Foods

Melatonin can be found naturally in many plant foods. Here are the best natural sources of this hormone to help supplement your diet naturally.

Dried Fruits and Nuts

Dried fruits and nuts are high in “good fats”, such as omega-3 and 6, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and hormones. They have about 3.5 mg of melatonin.

Look at this article: Dried Fruit Strengthens Bones and Fights Fatigue

Tomatoes

This vegetable is high in lycopene antioxidants , vitamins A, C, E, and K, and minerals such as iron and potassium. They also provide a moderate dose of melatonin.

Cereals

Cereals such as rice, corn, and oats help you fall asleep because they provide a good amount of melatonin. They are also excellent plant sources for carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

Melatonin-Rich Fruits

Fruits are also excellent sources for many vitamins and minerals. If you want to include melatonin in your diet, you should eat bananas and cherries. Diabetic patients shouldn’t eat too many fruits because they are high in fructose (a type of natural sugar).