You've been looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner all year - turkey,
mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Mmm-mmm! But after
you finish that second helping of turkey with gravy, you start to feel a
little sleepy.
As your Uncle George starts to explain why eating turkey makes people
so tired, you suddenly feel like curling up in front of the TV and
napping until next Thanksgiving. But is gobbling up all that turkey
really to blame?
The Usual Suspect: L-tryptophan
Not exactly. Here's why: Turkey meat contains a lot of an amino acid called L-tryptophan (say: el-trip-teh-fan). Amino acids are the "building blocks" for the proteins that make up our muscles
and other important parts of our bodies. (L-tryptophan is just one kind
of amino acid - there are many different kinds of amino acids in the
foods we eat.)
When we eat foods that contain L-tryptophan, this amino acid travels
in the blood from the digestive system and later enters the brain. The
brain then changes the L-tryptophan into another chemical called
serotonin (say: sare-uh-toh-nin). Serotonin calms us down and helps us sleep.
But scientists now know that L-tryptophan can really only make a
person tired right away if it is eaten or taken by itself without any
amino acids. And the protein in turkey contains plenty of other amino
acids!
Blame It On Blood Flow
Most scientists think that there's a different reason why eating a
special meal might make you drowsy. Eating a big Thanksgiving dinner
causes increased blood flow to the stomach (needed to help digest the
meal) and less blood flow to the brain.
Avoiding Drowsiness
So just how do you avoid that sleepy feeling on Turkey Day?
- Eat small, healthy meals (try to limit junk foods) throughout the
day before you sit down for your big meal - don't starve yourself in
anticipation of the feast to come.
- Have small portions of foods that are part of your Thanksgiving meal (including whatever veggies are on the table).
- Drink water and take breaks while you are eating to see how full you've become.
- Stop eating once you're full - there will always be leftovers tomorrow.
- Finally, take a walk outside afterward to digest your meal. This will make you feel better than crashing on the couch.
Follow these tips and have a Happy Thanksgiving - gobble, gobble!