No, the Tryptophan in Turkey Wont Make You Sleepy

By DANIEL VICTORNOV. 25, 2015

A common myth during the Thanksgiving holiday is that the turkey you
eat, which is loaded with tryptophan, makes you drowsy. Credit Andrew

As the common myth goes, youre ready for bed soon after Thanksgiving
dinner because the turkey you eat is loaded with tryptophan, which makes
you drowsy and drags you into slumber.

Its a line often repeated, but its not true.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor for the brain chemical
serotonin, which is associated with healthy sleep. But there is no more
tryptophan in turkey than in other common meats like chicken and beef.
Other foods, including nuts and cheeses, contain more.

While tryptophan could make you drowsy on its own, its effects are
limited in the presence of other amino acids, of which turkey has many.

You might be extra tired after your meal, but dont blame the turkey; it
could just be that you overate. With potatoes, stuffing, yams, rolls and
pie on top of that turkey, youre inhaling a lot of carbs.

Dont believe us? Thats a shame, but Snopes is among those that have
also squashed the rumor. Or there are NPR, LiveScience, Wired and Texas
A&M University.

Nicolaas Deutz, a nutrition expert at Texas A&M, has studied the actual
effects of tryptophan and confirmed that the turkey has little to do
with your post-pie coma.

€œTurkey is not special in relation to the other meats,€� he said. €œYou
just eat a lot of meat, but if you would eat a steak you would feel as
satisfied as with the turkey.€�