A good night’s sleep is the true backbone of health. Other healthy lifestyle components, such as eating a well-rounded diet or a regular exercise routine, become increasingly challenging to achieve without adequate and restful sleep. With this in mind, I’m always interested in exploring easy, realistic “hacks” to improve sleep quality. When I heard claims about nut butter acting as a secret superfood for a good night’s sleep, I knew I needed to learn more.
According to Mark Overbay, co-founder and president of , the nut butter in your pantry can help support healthy, restful sleep. But why should we consume nut butter for healthy sleep?
How nut butter supports healthy sleep
Nut butter may help support better sleep thanks to an essential ingredient known as L-tryptophan, or tryptophan for short. Per the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020-2025), “This amino acid is needed for normal growth in infants and for producing and maintaining the body’s proteins, muscles, enzymes, and neurotransmitters. It is an essential amino acid, which means our bodies cannot produce it, so we must get it from the foods we eat.”
“Tryptophan helps with the production of two key substances our bodies need for good sleep: serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep, appetite, mood, and pain. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and makes you feel tired at bedtime,” Overbay said.
“Peanuts are an excellent source of tryptophan because they also contain small amounts of carbohydrates. Tryptophan can’t freely circulate into the brain, so it needs to use a transport protein to cross the blood-brain barrier. Other amino acids also use these transport proteins, so there’s a lot of competition to get to the brain. Eating carbohydrates with tryptophan-rich foods helps get into the brain by removing other amino acids from the blood. Peanuts offer one-stop shopping for tryptophan!”
Timing and serving size of nut butter for sleep
“Over the past 20 years, at least 40 controlled studies have been conducted concerning the effects of tryptophan on human sleepiness and/or sleep. The weight of evidence indicates that the ideal amount of tryptophan for an adult is 280 to 350 mg, found in as little as 4 ounces of peanuts. Studies have shown that total daily doses of 1 gram (1,000 mg) or more result in an increase in rated subjective sleepiness and a decrease in sleep latency (time to sleep),” Overbay told us.
He recommends that those seeking improved sleep also eat other tryptophan-rich foods and nut butters throughout the day. “Such foods include legumes, tofu, fish such as tuna, poultry such as turkey, eggs, and whole grains such as quinoa.” He also urges individuals who take any medications to consult their healthcare providers before adding any tryptophan supplements, as they can “alter the efficacy of other drugs that affect serotonin.”
Other reasons to consume nut butters
While consuming nut butter for healthy sleep is a good enough reason for me, Overbay also touched on a few other benefits of nut butter beyond sleep. “Nut butters are among the most nutritious foods available for many reasons. Assuming they are made without ultra-processed filler ingredients, nut butters are rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, support brain function, and reduce inflammation,” he noted.
“They are an excellent source of plant-based protein, which is essential for muscle repair, growth, and cellular function. Nut butter contains vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron. The combination of healthy fats, protein, and fiber in nut butters also make them satiating and energy dense, providing a sustained energy source, whether you’re an athlete trying to maximize performance or just trying to get through another day.”
Incorporating nut butters into your diet
Luckily, if you want to try nut butters for healthy sleep, finding new ways to add it to your diet isn’t too hard. According to Overbay, “Nut butter is an incredibly versatile pantry staple.” He recommends trying nut butter in healthy snacks, such as spread on apple slices or as a dip for other fruit, toast, or other types of baked goods. Other ways to use nut butter include:
- Stirred into oatmeal for extra protein or spread on waffles or pancakes instead of syrup
- Added to yogurt or smoothie bowls
- Used in homemade energy bars
- As a base for savory sauces, soups, salad dressings, or marinades
Shopping for nut butter
Quality matters when it comes to shopping for nut butter to help support healthy sleep. Per Overbay, “Not all peanut butters are created equal. There are wide ranges of quality, sustainability, transparency, and nutrition regarding peanut butter ingredients and how the finished products are made. Unfortunately, high quality does not always mean sustainable, and marketing terms like ‘all-natural’ do not equate to good nutrition.”
Many nut butters on the market contain ultra-processed ingredients and additives, such as “high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids, fully hydrogenated vegetable oils, partially hydrogenated cotton and/or rapeseed oils, refined sugars, mono- and diglycerides, corn maltodextrin, and laboratory chemicals hiding behind euphemistic, non-descript monikers like “flavors” and “natural flavors.”
Overbay recommends shoppers look for nut butter with the simplest ingredients, such as peanuts and sea salt. Look for natural sweeteners such as raw honey, maple syrup, or unrefined non-GMO cane sugar for a sweet option. Choosing nut butter from brands committed to “cleaner” nut butter, such as Spoon Roasters, can go a long way in supporting your health, and of course, improving your sleep quality.
