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First things first - Happy Thanksgiving.

Second things second - one of my favorite nutrition myths seems to rear its head about this time every year:

"Everyone's going to eat too much turkey at dinner tonight and get sleepy."

The tryptophan in the turkey meat is usually blamed for the bout of sleepiness, as it causes a release of serotonin (a neurotransmitter that calms the body and regulates sleep).

 

However, many different foods contain the same or higher amounts of tryptophan - per a 200 calorie serving, spinach contains more than twice the amount of tryptophan (1052 mg vs. 509.4 mg)!

 

Seafood, duck, eggs, even sesame seeds contain a higher concentration of tryptophan than an equivalent 200 calorie serving of turkey.

What if you go by food weight as opposed to calories?

Well, Swiss cheese and pork loin both top turkey. Comparing a 100 gram serving of each, the cheese and the pork contain 401 mg and 341 mg of tryptophan, respectively, where turkey only contains 333 mg.

What truly causes the post-Thanksgiving dinner induced delirium is three-fold:

1) An over consumption of alcohol:

Can't forget that most people drink beer or wine (or both) in generous quantities during holiday dinners.

2) An over consumption of food:

Perhaps the biggest factor, overeating causes a tremendous shift in blood distribution in the body, shunting blood away from the periphery and concentrating it around the gastrointestinal organs, where it is required to provide energy for the digestion of the food.

 

The fact that most people tend to consume an excess of carbohydrates may also contribute to sleepiness as these foods cause an increase in insulin secretion.

 

The insulin spike causes amino acids other than tryptophan to be ferried into muscle cells for cellular repair, leaving a higher concentration of tryptophan in the blood stream. This causes a greater serotonin release, resulting in a sleepier you.

3) The high caloric concentration of the foods consumed:

The higher calorie, fattier foods slow down digestion, requiring more energy to process. This, in turn, reduces how energetic you may feel.

In closing, turkey does not make you sleepy - by itself. Which bodes well for me, since I'll be munching on a turkey sandwich on my way back from Thanksgiving Dinner.

 

P.S. It may be a good idea to get our Black Book of Secrets now to reduce or avoid the damage from all the holiday meals. It contains exactly what you should be eating, and the exact exercise plan you need to keep your body fat in check. It's instantly downloadable and comes with a few cool bonus tools to keep track of everything. Check it out here

 

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About the Author: Eugene Thong, CSCS, was born a weak, skinny, bespectacled child. Now, thanks to a steady diet of martial arts, scientific inquiry, and heavy compound movements, he's no longer weak.  His scientific bent, Zen-like demeanor, and efficient but intense methods have made him one of New York's most sought-after personal trainers.     When not helping clients cultivate their own inner 6-packs, Eugene can be found arm barring opponents at Renzo Gracie's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy or sailing through the air on his snowboard.  Read Eugene's semi-weekly musings on exercise, fitness, and fat loss at his blog Eugene is Mike's co-author of The Black Book of Secrets.  You can purchase it by clicking here.