Happy Thanksgiving!!! Let's talk turkey . . .

Gobble me this.  Gobble me that. 

What is it about the gobblicious Thanksgiving meal that makes you want to siesta after the fiesta?

We all know that turkey contains the culprit . . . the nasty little amino acid known as tryptophan.  Its evil I tells ya!  Guilty as charged?  Or innocent until proven guilty?

Here are the facts . . . tryptophan is an essential part of many plant and animal proteins.  It is something we consume in our everyday diet.   It DOES help our brain to produce serotonin, which does make us relaxed and in large doses will make you sleepy. It’s true that turkey contains tryptophan but there are other foods in our normal everyday grazing that contain far more . . . fish, cheese and eggs have three to four times the amount of tryptophan as compared to turkey . . . AND, there is no where near enough tryptophan found in turkey to make you drowsy. Take this into consideration  . . . tryptophan doesn’t effect our grey matter unless it’s taken on an empty stomach devoid of protein. Just to clarify . . . turkey = protein. 

If I was on a jury of essential amino acid peers I would have to have to declare the verdict that tryptophan is innocent of all somnolent charges as they relate to turkey dinner.

 Well, someone has to be guilty.  Because there is no denying that after you eat your Thanksgiving dinner you want to stretch out on your back while cradling your distended belly and pass out.

Let’s analyze this further . . . besides the turkey, what else is on the typical dinner table at Thanksgiving?

Stuffing

Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Corn

Rolls / Bread

Butter

Cranberry sauce

Pie

  

All those nom-dilly-icious dishes, even in moderate quantities, require your body to do oodles of work to digest.  Which sucks the blood from your brain to flood your digestive tract to give it fuel for the laborious task breaking down all that rich, tasty goodness.  I think it’s safe to say that most people don’t consume moderate quantities of any food on this feasty holiday.

Turkey is looking like its pretty much the most innocent component of this whole meal!  There are loads of carbohydrates and sugars and fats on that list . . . did you happen to down a coupla glasses of wine or beer with your meal, as well?  What does that do ya fer? 

 

Here’s a clue . . . based on the known sugar/insulin effects that are induced by simple sugars and simple carbohydrates – i.e. stuffing, potatoes, bread, etc. – I think it was Mrs. White in the kitchen with an egg beater . . .

That being said . . . if you happen to be the chef who prepared all that deliciousness then you most decidedly deserve that nap . . . that’s a lot of cookin’!  The rest of you bums get off yer duffs and get them there dishes done!