Holiday staples include delicious foods like honey-baked ham, roasted beef tenderloin, and one of the most iconic holiday foods of them all: turkey.
Although turkey is absolutely delicious, you may find yourself wondering, “Why does turkey make you so sleepy?” In this article, we’ll answer that question so you can prepare for the holiday season ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It turns out it might not be the turkey itself that’s making you so tired.\u00a0\u201cIt’s a common myth that turkey makes you sleepy,\u201d says\u00a0Alyssa Pacheco<\/a>, RD, a dietitian who specializes in nutrition for people with PCOS.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s the deal:\u00a0\u201cTurkey contains a specific amino acid called tryptophan, which helps your body make serotonin, and serotonin is a precursor for\u00a0melatonin<\/a>, which is commonly known as our sleep hormone,\u201d says Pacheco. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While many people believe that tryptophan in turkey is solely responsible for causing sleepiness, that’s not true. Turkey doesn’t really contain more tryptophan than other foods.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Case in point: A 3-ounce serving of turkey typically has around 215 mg of tryptophan, while beef and pork each have about 230 mg of tryptophan in a similar size serving, says Pacheco. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some other foods have even more tryptophan than turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Mozzarella cheese<\/a> has 515 mg of tryptophan for every 100-gram serving portion, while pumpkin and squash seeds<\/a> boast 576 mg of tryptophan for every 100-gram serving,\u201d explains Catherine Gervacio, RD, registered dietitian and certified exercise nutrition coach at Living.Fit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If other foods are often higher in tryptophan than turkey, then why does turkey make you sleepy? <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMost people feel tired after a traditional Thanksgiving meal for other reasons besides the tryptophan in turkey,\u201d says Pacheco. \u201cFactors like alcohol<\/a>, carb-heavy side dishes, and large portion sizes are more likely the culprit behind that tired feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gervacio also notes that the drowsiness after a holiday meal is more likely due to overeating and the combination of foods, rather than just turkey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLarge meals high in carbohydrates (like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pie) cause a spike in insulin, which increases the uptake of amino acids in muscles except tryptophan,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0This leads to higher levels of tryptophan in the brain, boosting serotonin and melatonin production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “This can make you feel tired,” she says. “Added to that, digesting a large meal requires energy, diverting blood flow to the digestive system and contributing to feelings of fatigue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you know why turkey makes you sleepy. Next, it’s time to explore ways to avoid the holiday food coma<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higher levels of tryptophan in the brain boost serotonin and melatonin production, which can make you feel tired. It’s not necessarily the\u00a0tryptophan that makes you sleepy\u00a0but rather the melatonin that results from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turkey doesn’t have melatonin, but it does contain a specific amino acid called tryptophan, which helps the body make serotonin. Serotonin is a precursor for melatonin, which is commonly known as our sleep hormone. Though turkey doesn’t contain melatonin, it has the properties to create melatonin through serotonin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turkey at Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t inherently make you sleepy. Other factors like alcohol, carb-heavy side dishes, and large portion sizes are more likely the culprit behind feeling tired after that Thanksgiving Day meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to keep Thanksgiving meals from ruining your sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why does tryptophan make you sleepy?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Does turkey have melatonin in it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How much turkey do you have to eat to be sleepy?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n