I decided to do a little research, and it turns out this is a MYTH! Yes, tryptophan in turkey does get converted to serotonin, but you would need to eat a lot of turkey to increase levels of serotonin in your body to the level that they could make you sleepy. Also, tryptophan is best absorbed on a relatively empty stomach, which you probably don’t have after a big Thanksgiving meal. And finally, turkey has a comparable amount of tryptophan as other meats, so the Thanksgiving turkey shouldn’t make you any more tired than eating a serving of chicken or beef.
More likely than not, you feel like you need a nap after Thanksgiving dinner simply because you have eaten a big meal. Proportionately more blood needs to flow to your gut to help digest the food, which means there is slightly less blood flow to your brain, causing drowsiness.
Tryptophan In Turkey Makes You Tired
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