Melatonin
OtherHormone secreted by pineal gland; only helps sleep onset by 4 minutes and extends sleep by 13 minutes per meta-analysis
Food Sources
Foods that contain Melatonin.
- Cherries
Improved sleep in 4 out of 4 studies, presumably due to melatonin content
Source: How Not to Age
- Sprouted Lentils
Sprouted lentils have shown to increase concentration of bioavailable melatonin; can modulate oxidative stress and prevent aging
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Health Benefits
Health conditions that Melatonin may influence, based on research.
Improves
- Insomnia
Systematic review and meta-analysis show melatonin supplementation improves sleep quality; however commercial preparations may contain contaminants
Source: How Not to Age
Protects Against
- Breast cancer
Blind women with constant melatonin production have half the odds of breast cancer. Higher vegetable intake is associated with higher melatonin; meat consumption lowers it.; Blind women may have just half the odds of breast cancer as sighted women, likely due to continuous melatonin production. Women with higher melatonin secretion have lower rates of breast cancer.
Source: How Not to Die
Recipes with Melatonin
Recipes featuring foods that contain Melatonin.
Sources
- How Not to Age
- Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
- How Not to Die