Natural Sources Of Melatonin & Their Benefits

Bananas

Bananas, a fruit that comes in its own convenient package, are famous for being good sources of potassium, but they are also high in melatonin. A gram of ripe banana has about 1.85 nanograms of melatonin. The way the fruit manufactures melatonin is a bit circuitous. Bananas are also rich in L-tryptophan, an amino acid. Amino acids help the body build proteins, and L-tryptophan is turned into a substance called 5-HTP. 5-HTP is then turned into serotonin and melatonin. Besides the relaxing effect of melatonin, the potassium and magnesium in a banana relax the muscles. This also aids in sleep.