Eating Turkey Makes You Sleepy: True or False?

Published on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, by CHOW Video Team / Edit Post

Mark Scarbrough, coauthor of Lobsters Scream When You Boil Them, sets the record straight on the widespread myth that eating turkey makes you sleepy.

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POST A COMMENT |5 Comments

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  • It isn't the tryptophan that makes you sleepy after a holiday meal - it's the sheer amount of food volume in your system draining your body's energy reserves. Those meals tend to be high in fat and protein as well, which takes a longer time and more effort to break down in your digestive tract. Given that turkey on it's own is extremely high in concentrated protein, even a "regular" dinner meal...+READ

    It isn't the tryptophan that makes you sleepy after a holiday meal - it's the sheer amount of food volume in your system draining your body's energy reserves. Those meals tend to be high in fat and protein as well, which takes a longer time and more effort to break down in your digestive tract. Given that turkey on it's own is extremely high in concentrated protein, even a "regular" dinner meal where turkey is the main item can create exhaustion.-COLLAPSE

  • Of course, it doesn't matter how many times you try and debunk this one, people aren't going to believe you. They don't want any darn science to get in the way of their myths.

  • Good stuff- not enough people are aware eggs have three times the L-tryptophan of turkey meat.

  • I dont know the right answer, but something isnt debunked just because you say it is.

  • Yes it does, if you eat a "real" turkey because it contains tryptophan.