Why Turkey Makes You Tired
It is a common old wives’ tale that turkey makes you tired. Somehow, it seems that your Thanksgiving dinner will put you in a turkey coma. While many tales such as this are not true, there is some truth behind this one. Turkey does make you tired, but it is not in the way you would expect. Eating large meals can naturally make you tired, but turkey does this in an amplified manner. How? The answer is tryptophan.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is found in food sources, specifically those high in protein, such as turkey. These meals, not unlike Thanksgiving dinner, have a high concentration of amino acids. These amino acids can cause changes in the chemical balance in the brain. Serotonin and melatonin are both normal neurotransmitters that cause drowsiness. Tryptophan is the precursor to these neurotransmitters. This means that providing the body with a source of tryptophan is also encouraging the production of serotonin and melatonin.
Tryptophan is not the only factor involved in a turkey coma. Many people eat turkey sandwiches for lunch, but do not experience the level of drowsiness that is associated with Thanksgiving dinner. This is because the second factor that causes drowsiness is high levels of carbohydrates. Tryptophan is present in the blood stream, but only has access to the brain when the ratio of tryptophan to other proteins and amino acids is swayed in favor of tryptophan. When a large amount of carbohydrates are digested, insulin causes many of the proteins in the blood stream to be absorbed into muscle mass. Tryptophan, however, is not one of the amino acids that is absorbed. This leaves open access to the brain and encourages tryptophan to convert to serotonin and melatonin. While turkey has high levels of tryptophan, the high levels of carbohydrates that are usually associated with Thanksgiving dinner are the culprit of the turkey coma.
Thanksgiving only comes once a year, so be sure to enjoy it and do not let tryptophan and carbohydrates get in the way of spending time with those you love. While drowsiness is unavoidable with a large Thanksgiving dinner, there is nothing wrong with making a nap a part of your tradition.