What is that "something" in turkey that makes us sleepy after we eat it?!
Answers: tryptophan
Tryptophan
Urban Legend says it's Tryptohpan, which can cause sleepiness, but only if taken in sufficient doses on an empty stomach. By taking it with (or in this case 'in') food, the effects are cancelled out. The sleepiness is most likely caused buy the overeating (especially carbs) that occurs at most turkey dinners, which cause you to crash (like eating a candy bar for energy only to feel more tired an hour or so later).
Turkey meat contains a lot of an amino acid called L-tryptophan (say: el-trip-teh-fan). Amino acids are the "building blocks" for the proteins that make up our muscles and other important parts of our bodies. (L-tryptophan is just one kind of amino acid — there are many different kinds of amino acids in the foods we eat.)
When we eat foods that contain L-tryptophan, this amino acid travels in the blood from the digestive system and later enters the brain. The brain then changes the L-tryptophan into another chemical called serotonin (say: sare-uh-toh-nin). Serotonin calms us down and helps us sleep.
But scientists now know that L-tryptophan can really only make a person tired right away if it is eaten or taken by itself without any amino acids. And the protein in turkey contains plenty of other amino acids!
I wouldn't know, i don't like turkey so i never eat it.
Actually,people have blamed tryptophan that is found in turkey to cause sleepiness after eating it,and that really isn't true. Although Tryptophan may make you feel a little sleepy,it is from all of the carbs from the potatoes,to the rolls that we eat that make us feel so tired and sluggish!
Do you ever get tired in the afternoon and reach for a candy bar or a can of pop? Well,it is the same thing,it will give you energy for awhile,and then you will crash because your blood sugar will plummet again,from the empty calories from the candy bar or soda pop!