Research

Hormonal

Consumption of melatonin-rich foods (such as walnuts, grapes, and tropical fruits) significantly increases serum melatonin concentrations and total antioxidant capacity in humans, providing a physiological benefit distinct from endogenous production.

Incorporate melatonin-rich foods like walnuts, tart cherries, grapes, and tropical fruits (pineapple, orange, banana) into your diet. Studies show these foods significantly raise blood melatonin levels and antioxidant capacity, potentially aiding sleep and reducing oxidative stress, even if the absolute increase is lower than a supplement.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
consumption of melatonin-rich foods may induce the potential health impacts by significantly increasing the serum melatonin concentration and antioxidant capacity in human beings
Xiao Meng et al. · Nutrients · 2017

Why this rating

The paper is a review citing multiple human studies showing increased serum levels, but notes variability in analytical methods and bioavailability.

Source

Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin

Xiao Meng et al. · Nutrients · 2017

DOI 10.3390/nu9040367

narrative_reviewCited 350×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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