what is in turkey that make me sleepy?

Answer 1

Is it really the turkey meat or possibly all the hustle and bustle of your big Thanksgiving day? Nutrition experts believe that turkey meat has a lot of amino acids in it. These acids are called L-tryptophan and they are in the proteins that make up our muscles. After traveling through the blood system the L-tryptophan enters the brain where it is changed into a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is what helps us sleep. Nutritionists also believe other things have an effect on your drowsiness. Carbohydrates are a major filler and cause your stuffed feeling. These include breads, potatoes, yams, and pumpkin pie. Eating a big meal causes less blood flow to the brain and more to the stomach, so when a family member says they must have ate too much turkey because they are tired, you can explain the reason for the sleepiness.

A friend of mine wrote this story for our school newspaper, thought it might help.

Answer 2

Given the timing of this question, I'll assume you're especially referring to post Thanksgiving dinner. Contrary to popular belief, the amino acid is probably not the most significant culprit.

Excerpt:
It's worth noting that other foods contain as much or more tryptophan than turkey (0.333 g of tryptophan per 100 gram edible portion), including chicken (0.292 g of tryptophan per 100 gram edible portion), pork, and cheese. As with turkey, other amino acids are present in these foods besides tryptophan, so they don't make you sleepy.

Read this:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/holidaysseasons/a/tiredturkey.htm

Answer 3

tryptophan

(trĭp´tfăn) , organic compound, one of the 20 amino acids commonly found in animal proteins. Only the L-stereoisomer appears in mammalian protein. It is one of several essential amino acids needed in the diet; human beings cannot synthesize it from simpler metabolites. Young adults require about 7 mg of this amino acid per day per kg (3 mg per lb) of body weight. Nicotinic acid (niacin), a vitamin of the B complex, can be made from tryptophan in the body, but evidently the rate of transformation is insufficient for the demands of normal growth and maintenance, and hence nicotinic acid must be supplied in the diet. Deficiency of tryptophan in the diet enhances the progress of the vitamin-deficiency disease pellagra, which is treated by restoring nicotinic acid to the diet, usually supplemented with tryptophan. Bacteria in the intestine break tryptophan down to compounds such as skatole and indole, which to a great extent are responsible for the unpleasant odor of feces. Tryptophan contributes to the structure of proteins into which it has been incorporated by the tendency of its side chain to participate in hydrophobic interactions (see isoleucine). The amino acid was isolated from casein (milk protein) in 1901, and its structure was established in 1907.

Answer 4

Tryptophan

Answer 5

Tryptophan.

Answer 6

tryptophan
it's also in bread,yams, and milk
but only milk and turkey have tryptophan and melatonin,a natural sleep aid

Answer 7

Lexie E is correct, it's Tryptophan, the others just don't know...

Answer 8

its not getting away from the table, too much food in the system is like fresh sex, it tends to put one to sleep, the same sensory nerves are used for both.

Answer 9

you eat to much of it