To Eat or Not to Eat Turkey....and Not Get Sleepy

So I'm sure you've all heard about the dreaded side effects of eating turkey, especially during Thanksgiving.....that it gets you tired and sleepy due to the tryptopahn. I'ld love to say that that was the only reason why we get so tired, but come on now....think about it. It's Thanksgiving and you're staring at your overloaded plate full of (ofcourse) turkey, mash potatoes (yum) with gravy, stuffing, ham, a roll of bread with a slab of butter on top, corn on the cob, and a hint of veggies (to add color to your carb-filled meal). As you prepare to stuff your face full of this fantasy meal and find a comfortable seat at the table where no one will notice you've already unbuttoned your pants to make room for your expanding gut, you savor all the complimentary flavors. So now that you've fully engulfed your entire meal, thirty minutes later you are "getting sleepy". You ask yourself, "What's going on? Is that the tryptophan kicking in from the turkey?" No you silly rabbit, it's your body working overtime trying to digest all the food you've just devoured in 15 minutes. Turkey does contain high levels of tryptopahn and is an amino acid that our bodies can't produce. It can have a soothing or calming effect. Although, it is not the main reason that our bodies are so tired after a big meal. The impact of having an increased amount of carbs in our stomachs like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pies requires a lot of energy to digest. The internal work is a lot to handle and our bodies tire from the whole process. Plus, if you're like me, I prefer to eat a Thanksgiving meal with a glass of wine. Tis the season.... So be prepared for your turkey dinner and not to worry, the turkey isn't the culprit...it's everything you've consumed that day!