Top 35 Foods Highest in Tryptophan Per 100 Calories (Nutrient Density)

Maximize Tryptophan (g) while staying in a calorie deficit: USDA foods ranked by Tryptophan delivered per 100 kcal of energy. Essential aromatic amino acid precursor to 5-HTP, serotonin, and sleep-regulating melatonin.

USDA Leaderboard: Top 35 Foods Highest in Tryptophan Per 100 Calories (Nutrient Density)

Click any food below to open its full 100+ nutrient profile (including 22 vitamins, 11 minerals, amino acids, omega-3s, PRAL acid load, and WHO baby feeding age). Top food in this category: Game meat, elk, raw (0.414 g per 100g).

Rank	USDA Food Item	Tryptophan / 100g	% Daily Value	Per 100 kcal	Calories & Protein
#1	Game meat, elk, raw	0.414 g	100%	0.373 g	111 kcal · 22.9g P
#2	Fish, pollock, Alaska, raw (may contain additives to retain moisture)	0.166 g	41.5%	0.296 g	56 kcal · 12.2g P
#3	Fish, haddock, cooked, dry heat	0.26 g	65%	0.289 g	90 kcal · 20g P
#4	Crustaceans, crab, blue, raw	0.251 g	62.7%	0.289 g	87 kcal · 18.1g P
#5	Quail, breast, meat only, raw	0.354 g	88.5%	0.288 g	123 kcal · 22.6g P
#6	Crustaceans, crab, queen, raw	0.258 g	64.5%	0.287 g	90 kcal · 18.5g P
#7	Fish, haddock, raw	0.212 g	53%	0.286 g	74 kcal · 16.3g P
#8	Crustaceans, crab, dungeness, raw	0.242 g	60.5%	0.281 g	86 kcal · 17.4g P
#9	Crustaceans, lobster, northern, raw	0.215 g	53.8%	0.279 g	77 kcal · 16.5g P
#10	Fish, Salmon, Chum, raw (Alaska Native)	0.32 g	80%	0.276 g	116 kcal · 20.7g P
#11	Fish, cod, Pacific, raw (may have been previously frozen)	0.188 g	47%	0.272 g	69 kcal · 15.3g P
#12	Crustaceans, crab, blue, canned	0.226 g	56.5%	0.272 g	83 kcal · 17.9g P
#13	Fish, rockfish, Pacific, mixed species, raw	0.245 g	61.2%	0.272 g	90 kcal · 18.4g P
#14	Egg, white, dried	0.999 g	100%	0.262 g	382 kcal · 81.1g P
#15	Crustaceans, spiny lobster, mixed species, raw	0.287 g	71.7%	0.256 g	112 kcal · 20.6g P
#16	Fish, halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, raw	0.233 g	58.2%	0.256 g	91 kcal · 18.6g P
#17	Pheasant, breast, meat only, raw	0.339 g	84.8%	0.255 g	133 kcal · 24.4g P
#18	Squab, (pigeon), light meat without skin, raw	0.341 g	85.2%	0.254 g	134 kcal · 21.8g P
#19	Game meat, rabbit, wild, raw	0.288 g	72%	0.253 g	114 kcal · 21.8g P
#20	Turkey, retail parts, breast, meat only, raw	0.288 g	72%	0.253 g	114 kcal · 23.3g P
#21	Game meat, buffalo, water, raw	0.249 g	62.2%	0.252 g	99 kcal · 20.4g P
#22	Turkey, retail parts, wing, meat only, raw	0.277 g	69.2%	0.247 g	112 kcal · 22.5g P
#23	Pheasant, raw, meat only	0.328 g	82%	0.247 g	133 kcal · 23.6g P
#24	Fish, pike, northern, raw	0.216 g	54%	0.245 g	88 kcal · 19.3g P
#25	Fish, cusk, raw	0.213 g	53.2%	0.245 g	87 kcal · 19g P
#26	Fish, ling, raw	0.213 g	53.2%	0.245 g	87 kcal · 19g P
#27	Fish, sunfish, pumpkin seed, raw	0.217 g	54.2%	0.244 g	89 kcal · 19.4g P
#28	Fish, mahimahi, raw	0.207 g	51.7%	0.244 g	85 kcal · 18.5g P
#29	Fish, cod, Atlantic, raw	0.199 g	49.8%	0.243 g	82 kcal · 17.8g P
#30	Fish, roughy, orange, raw	0.184 g	46%	0.242 g	76 kcal · 16.4g P
#31	Egg, white, raw, fresh	0.125 g	31.2%	0.24 g	52 kcal · 10.9g P
#32	Fish, tuna, fresh, yellowfin, raw	0.262 g	65.5%	0.24 g	109 kcal · 24.4g P
#33	Fish, burbot, raw	0.216 g	54%	0.24 g	90 kcal · 19.3g P
#34	Fish, tuna, fresh, skipjack, raw	0.246 g	61.5%	0.239 g	103 kcal · 22g P
#35	Fish, perch, mixed species, raw	0.217 g	54.2%	0.238 g	91 kcal · 19.4g P

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