Does your husband always come up with the excuse that he is too tired to help you with the dishes after a big
thanksgiving meal? “It’s nap time!” he exclaims. Little does he know that the old “there is too much tryptophan in my turkey” excuse is really not an excuse at all. The truth of the matter is turkey does not contain any more tryptophan than typical poultry, about 350 milligrams per four ounces. What is tryptophan anyway? Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning that the body can’t manufacture it. The body has to get tryptophan and other essential amino acids from food. How does it work? Tryptophan helps the body produce the B-vitamin niacin, which helps the body produce serotonin, a chemical that acts as a calming agent in the brain and plays a key role in sleep.
You might think that if you eat a lot of turkey, your body would produce more serotonin and you would feel calm and want a nap. Nutritionists and other experts say that the tryptophan in turkey probably won’t trigger the body to produce more serotonin because tryptophan works best on an empty stomach. It’s not fair to blame your poor innocent turkey for all the yawning on Thanksgiving day!
So, why are we all so tired after a big Thanksgiving meal? First of all, big is one of the operative words. We tend to eat a lot more at one sitting thinking we are not going eat these foods again until next year. Don’t forget the stuffing, mashed potatoes, biscuits, oh yes, and dessert. All those carbohydrates can put anyone into a food induced coma. Another reason could be that some of us are drinking alcohol with our meals. There is nothing like a nice bottle of chardonnay with your turkey and alcohol tends to make us tired. Also, many of us wake up early to get the bird in the oven and are on our feet cooking and preparing for the gathering.
Are you going to let your family know that you are on to them, or are they going to get away with the after dinner nap or sitting on the couch for the football game while you’re in the kitchen cleaning up?
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