On Thu, 23 Mar 2000 13:49:47 -0500, Bruce Sherrod <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>But to answer your question, I've provided a table of foods sorted by
>tryptophan/calorie ratio.
>
>I have to admit I have little intuition about what the results of
>this table mean.  For example, brown mushrooms have a fairly high
>tryptophan/calorie ratio, but does that mean they are a good source
>of tryptophan?  At .056g/100g, I would say not.  You would have to eat
>a kilogram of brown mushrooms in order to get as much tryptophan as is
>in 100g of cooked elk meat.
>
>On the other hand, I think it's interesting that wild game meats, organ
>meats, and seafood all appear high on this list.
>
Thanks, Bruce for providing the Tryptophan list.
For Tryptophan (at least) its a little special.
As i learnt from books
( e.g. "5-HTP Natures' Serotonin Solution" from Ray Sahelian)
the availability of tryptophan for the *brain* is determined by the
relative occurence compared to the other amino acids.
While Tryptophan is important as a protein builder and a niacin source,
brain availability is of special interest for making serotonin and melatonin
to achieve a relaxed state and vivid dreams (for example).

Tryptophan is available to the brain only throu a transportation vessel
(enzyme) which it shares and competes to with other amino acids.
Eating much carbohydrates helps, because the elevated insulin signals
body-cells to use (up) valin, isoleucin, leucin, and so the *relative*
part of tryptophan rises.

The other natural solution would be to eat foods with are natural high
in tryptophan compared to other amino acids or total protein (hint, hint).

The high tryptophan in eggs for example may list only that eggs are high
in protein - they are.

Last night i tried eating a little spirulina because its high on your list.
Hm.. it worked. More vivid dreams.

cheers

Amadeus S.