Foods With Melatonin: What to Eat Before Bed for Better Sleep

Foods with melatonin include tart cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, eggs, fish, nuts and some grains, but the amounts are small: usually a few billionths of a gram (nanograms) per gram of food. (Meng et al., 2017) Even so, eating some of these foods can raise the melatonin in your blood for a few hours (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013), and small studies link tart cherry juice and kiwifruit with better sleep (Howatson et al., 2012; Lin et al., 2011). This guide lists the foods highest in melatonin, how much they hold compared with a supplement serving, what the human studies show, and how to put together an evening routine that supports sleep.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• Best sources: in a review of published measurements, eggs and fish were the higher animal sources of melatonin and nuts the highest plant source; some mushrooms, cereals and sprouted seeds also contain it (Meng et al., 2017).
• Small amounts: tart cherries measured about 2 to 13 nanograms per gram, salmon 3.7, raw whole egg 1.54 and walnuts 1 to 1.8 (Meng et al., 2017).
• Food can still raise blood levels: in 12 healthy men, orange juice, pineapple juice or two bananas raised serum melatonin from 32 to 48 pg/mL before eating to 140 to 151 pg/mL two hours later (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013).
• Sleep studies are small: tart cherry juice concentrate for 7 days increased total sleep time and sleep efficiency compared with a placebo drink in 20 adults (Howatson et al., 2012). For the same juice in a bedtime drink, see the sleepy girl mocktail.
• Keep the evening snack light: the CDC advises avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime (CDC).
• What to eat before bed: tart cherries, two kiwifruits, a banana, a handful of nuts or an egg are light options with study or melatonin data behind them (Meng et al., 2017); (Lin et al., 2011).

Which Foods Have Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone your brain makes in response to darkness (NCCIH), but plants and animals make it too, so it turns up in everyday food. The review below collected measurements from many labs. Values for the same food vary widely between varieties and studies, so read these as ranges, not exact amounts (Meng et al., 2017).

Food	Melatonin measured	About how much per serving
Tart cherries	2.06 ng/g (Montmorency) to 13.46 ng/g (Balaton), fresh	0.2 to 1.3 mcg per 100 g
Strawberries	0.01 to 11.26 ng/g, fresh, depending on variety	Up to about 1.1 mcg per 100 g
Tomatoes	0.11 to 23.87 ng/g, fresh, in most varieties tested	Up to about 2.4 mcg per 100 g
Salmon	3.7 ng/g	About 0.37 mcg per 100 g
Eggs (raw, whole)	1.54 ng/g	About 0.08 mcg per 50 g egg
Walnuts	1.02 to 1.77 ng/g, fresh	About 0.03 to 0.05 mcg per 1 oz (28 g)
Pistachios	226,900 to 233,000 ng/g, dry weight, in one study	See below
Bananas	0.66 ng/g, fresh	About 0.07 mcg per 100 g
Cow's milk	4.03 to 39.43 pg/mL	About 0.001 to 0.009 mcg per 8 oz (240 mL) glass

Units matter here: 1 microgram (mcg) is 1,000 nanograms (ng), and 1 nanogram is 1,000 picograms (pg). Per serving figures are our arithmetic from the measured values.

A note on pistachios. One study reported 226,900 to 233,000 ng per gram of dry weight across four pistachio varieties, by far the highest figure in the review's table (Meng et al., 2017). Other nuts measured much lower, for example 1 to 1.8 ng per gram in walnuts and 39 ng per gram of dry weight in almonds, so the pistachio figure stands apart rather than being typical of nuts.

How Much Melatonin Is in Food Compared With a Supplement?

Much less. Our Melatonin Nasal Spray provides 200 mcg of melatonin per two-spray serving, which is 200,000 nanograms. On the measured values above, 100 g of Balaton tart cherries holds about 1,350 ng, roughly one 150th of that serving, and a 50 g egg about 77 ng.

That does not make food melatonin meaningless. In a crossover study, 12 healthy men drank juice pressed from 1 kilogram of oranges or pineapples, or ate two bananas. Serum melatonin peaked 2 hours later and was clearly higher than before: 146 versus 48 pg/mL for pineapple, 151 versus 40 for orange and 140 versus 32 for banana (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013). Food adds a little melatonin; it does not provide a measured amount the way a labeled product does.

What Human Studies Show

• Tart cherry juice: in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, 20 healthy adults took tart cherry juice concentrate for 7 days. Total urinary melatonin rose, and time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency increased compared with placebo (Howatson et al., 2012).
• Tart cherry juice in older adults: in a 2 week pilot crossover study of 15 older adults with long-standing sleep trouble, a tart cherry juice blend reduced time awake after falling asleep compared with placebo, but did not change time to fall asleep, total sleep time or sleep efficiency compared with placebo. The authors described the effects as modest (Pigeon et al., 2010).
• Kiwifruit: 24 adults aged 20 to 55 with self-reported sleep problems ate two kiwifruits 1 hour before bed for 4 weeks. Time to fall asleep fell by 35.4% and total sleep time rose by 13.4%, with no separate control group (Lin et al., 2011). Kiwifruit itself is low in melatonin, about 0.02 ng per gram (Meng et al., 2017), and the authors pointed to its antioxidants and serotonin.
• Tropical fruit: oranges, pineapple and bananas raised serum melatonin over the following 2 hours in healthy men (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013).

Together, these are small, short studies. They support adding a few of these foods to your evening, alongside the habits below.

What to Eat Before Bed

The best thing to eat before bed is a light snack, not a large meal: the CDC lists avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime among the habits that help sleep (CDC). If you are hungry in the evening, pick something small that also adds a little melatonin or has been tested in a sleep study.

Snack before bed	Why it is a good pick
Tart cherries or tart cherry juice	Among the fruits highest in melatonin; tart cherry juice concentrate increased total sleep time in a 7 day study
Two kiwifruits about 1 hour before bed	Used in a 4 week study of adults with sleep problems
A banana	Two bananas raised blood melatonin within 2 hours
A handful of walnuts or pistachios	Nuts are the highest plant source of melatonin in published measurements
A boiled egg	Eggs are among the higher animal sources
A few strawberries or cherry tomatoes	Both contain melatonin, varying by variety

Sources for the table: (Meng et al., 2017); (Howatson et al., 2012); (Lin et al., 2011); (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013).

What Not to Eat or Drink Before Bed

• Large, heavy meals. The CDC advises avoiding large meals before bedtime (CDC).
• Caffeine. In a review of 24 studies, caffeine cut total sleep time by 45 minutes, and the authors calculated that a cup of coffee should be finished at least 8.8 hours before bed (Gardiner et al., 2023). Our guide to how long caffeine lasts has a cutoff table.
• Alcohol. Alcohol fragments sleep and leads to earlier waking (NIAAA). See melatonin and alcohol if you take melatonin.

Best Food for Sleep: A Simple Evening Plan

1. Keep dinner and snacks light. The CDC lists avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime among habits that help sleep (CDC). Our guide to why you feel tired after eating explains why a heavy meal can still leave you sleeping badly.
2. Choose a melatonin food. A small bowl of tart cherries or strawberries, two kiwifruits, a banana, or a handful of nuts are easy options.
3. Cut caffeine after lunch. The CDC advises avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening (CDC).
4. Dim the lights. Your brain makes melatonin in response to darkness, and light at night can block it (NCCIH). Turn off screens at least 30 minutes before bed (CDC).
5. Keep the same schedule. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day helps, and adults need 7 or more hours of sleep (CDC). Our guide to how to sleep better covers more habits, and how to fall asleep fast has 12 quick tips.

Where Our Products Fit

Food gives you a little melatonin in amounts that vary from bowl to bowl. Our Melatonin Nasal Spray provides 200 mcg of melatonin with 17 mg of L-theanine per two-spray serving, used 15 to 30 minutes before bedtime. The Sleep Stack pairs it with Theanine Nasal Spray and Lithium Orotate in one bedtime routine. Our melatonin dosage guide covers how much to take and when, and how long melatonin lasts explains timing. If you drink in the evening, read melatonin and alcohol first, and if you would rather skip melatonin altogether, see sleep supplements without melatonin. Learn more on our melatonin ingredient page and our sleep health hub.

When to Talk to a Doctor

Eating melatonin foods is part of a normal diet. Melatonin supplements are different: short-term studies in adults reported mild side effects such as headache, dizziness, nausea and sleepiness, and there has been a lack of research on melatonin in pregnancy and breastfeeding (NCCIH). Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take medication, and if poor sleep keeps going despite good habits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What foods have the most melatonin?

In published measurements, nuts are the highest plant source and eggs and fish the higher animal sources. Tart cherries, strawberries and tomatoes are among the fruits and vegetables with more than most (Meng et al., 2017).

Which fruits have melatonin?

Tart cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, grapes, bananas, pineapple and oranges all contain some. Bananas, oranges and pineapple raised serum melatonin within 2 hours in a small study (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013).

Do eggs have melatonin?

Yes. Raw whole egg measured 1.54 ng per gram, and eggs were among the higher animal sources in the review (Meng et al., 2017).

Does milk have melatonin?

A little. Cow's milk measured 4.03 to 39.43 pg per mL, which is about 0.001 to 0.009 mcg in an 8 oz glass (Meng et al., 2017).

Do pistachios have melatonin?

One study reported very high levels in pistachios, 226,900 to 233,000 ng per gram of dry weight, far above other nuts measured (Meng et al., 2017).

Does tart cherry juice help you sleep?

In 20 adults, 7 days of tart cherry juice concentrate increased total sleep time and sleep efficiency compared with placebo (Howatson et al., 2012). In older adults the effects were modest (Pigeon et al., 2010).

Can you get enough melatonin from food?

Food provides far less melatonin than a serving of a melatonin product: 100 g of tart cherries holds about 0.2 to 1.3 mcg, compared with 200 mcg in a serving of our Melatonin Nasal Spray. Food can still raise blood melatonin a little for a few hours (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013).

What is the best food to eat before bed?

A light snack rather than a large meal (CDC), such as tart cherries, kiwifruit, a banana or a handful of nuts.

What should you not eat before bed?

Avoid large meals and alcohol before bedtime (CDC), and caffeine from early afternoon: a review suggests finishing coffee at least 8.8 hours before bed (Gardiner et al., 2023).

How long before bed should you stop eating?

The CDC does not give a set number of hours; it advises avoiding large meals before bedtime (CDC). If you are hungry later, a light snack such as fruit or a few nuts is fine.

What is a good drink before bed?

Tart cherry juice has the most sleep research behind it: the concentrate increased total sleep time compared with placebo in a 7 day study (Howatson et al., 2012). Skip caffeine and alcohol in the evening (CDC).

Do bananas help you sleep?

Bananas contain a little melatonin, and eating two bananas raised serum melatonin from 32 to 140 pg/mL two hours later in healthy men (Sae-Teaw et al., 2013). Sleep itself was not measured in that study.

Sources

1. Meng X, Li Y, Li S, Zhou Y, Gan RY, Xu DP, Li HB. Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin. Nutrients. 2017. PubMed 28387721
2. Sae-Teaw M, Johns J, Johns NP, Subongkot S. Serum melatonin levels and antioxidant capacities after consumption of pineapple, orange, or banana by healthy male volunteers. J Pineal Res. 2013. PubMed 23137025
3. Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Middleton B, McHugh MP, Ellis J. Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Eur J Nutr. 2012. PubMed 22038497
4. Pigeon WR, Carr M, Gorman C, Perlis ML. Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. J Med Food. 2010. PubMed 20438325
5. Lin HH, Tsai PS, Fang SC, Liu JF. Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011. PubMed 21669584
6. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Melatonin: What You Need To Know (updated May 2024). NCCIH
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Sleep. CDC
8. Gardiner C, Weakley J, Burke LM, et al. The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2023. PubMed 36870101
9. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Hangovers. NIAAA

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for education only and is not medical advice.