Should you have thought that eating a banana would give you the energy you need to finish your presentation, you should think again. Well, that’s because bananas contain magnesium, which is in fact, a mineral that puts you to sleep. They work like muscle relaxants and should be taken right before bed to get a good night’s sleep!
It’s white bread and white rice! Have you ever noticed that when you order rice for lunch, you take longer to do your work, which makes your boss mad? These are the kinds of foods that make you tired after eating them. Because when you eat high-glycemic-index carbs like these, you miss out on nutrients that can keep you fuel. These carbs don’t have much fiber, so they break down quickly. This means you don’t get the energy boost you normally get from whole grains.
When you eat sugary foods, your blood sugar immediately rises. This is when your pancreas flood your bloodstream with insulin. This might cause a sudden burst of energy but it hardly lasts long. The insulin lowers your blood sugar and you soon begin to feel lethargic and slow!.
This is great: salmon is full of vitamin B6. The only bad thing is that the body uses this vitamin to make melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep. This is the kind of food that makes you feel sleepy. Because of this, salmon makes you sleepy, so don’t eat it if you have a lunch meeting with coworkers or something important that needs your attention in the next few hours.
Yes, meat eaters, you love your red meat. But here’s the truth: this is also why you might feel sleepy and tired after eating a lot of lamb or pork. These foods have a lot of fat, and breaking them down takes a lot of energy. This makes you feel sleepy and out of sorts.
Dark chocolate is delicious, but did you know that it can make you feel sleepy and sluggish? That’s because it contains serotonin, a chemical that can make you feel very calm, which is the last thing you want after a long day of work.
A common treat that many people enjoy is ham, but there is an old story that says eating it makes you sleepy and glum. This idea probably comes from the fact that ham is often eaten at holiday times when people tend to eat too much. But is there any scientific evidence that ham makes you sleepy? Let’s look at the facts.
What’s in Ham That Could Cause Sleepiness?
To understand if ham can induce sleepiness, we first need to look at its nutritional composition. Ham is a good source of protein and contains vitamins and minerals like niacin zinc and iron. But two components stand out when it comes to potential sleep-inducing effects
Tryptophan
The amino acid tryptophan is found in ham. The body needs this acid to make serotonin and melatonin, which are chemicals in the brain that help you sleep and keep your circadian rhythms in check.
Tryptophan is found in many protein-rich foods besides ham, like turkey chicken, milk, yogurt eggs, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Experts believe tryptophan alone cannot make you drowsy after a meal. For tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier, insulin is needed. When we eat carbs, insulin is released, which lets tryptophan enter the brain and be changed into serotonin and melatonin.
So while ham contains tryptophan, its amount is not significantly higher compared to other protein sources. Just eating ham without carbs is unlikely to spike insulin enough to carry enough tryptophan to the brain to make you sleepy.
Tyramine
Ham also contains small amounts of the amino acid tyramine. During the curing and smoking process, tyramine levels can increase as proteins break down.
Tyramine is thought to cause drowsiness by triggering the release of norepinephrine in the brain, which induces relaxation and sleepiness.
However, more research is needed to confirm if tyramine in cured meats like ham directly causes sleepiness. The levels found in ham may be too low to trigger this effect.
Other Factors That Can Lead to Sleepiness After Eating Ham
While the tryptophan and tyramine in ham may play a small role, there are other factors that can better explain why some people get tired after eating ham.
Overeating
Ham is often consumed during feasts and holiday meals where it’s easy to overindulge. Eating large portions leads to excess blood flowing to the stomach for digestion, which can make you feel sluggish as the brain gets less oxygen.
The body also releases sleep-promoting hormones like melatonin and orexin when the stomach is full, making you feel like napping.
High-Carb Sides
Ham is commonly served with sides high in carbs like bread, potatoes, stuffing, and sweet treats. These carb-heavy foods cause blood sugar spikes, triggering the release of insulin. As discussed earlier, insulin enables tryptophan to enter the brain, potentially increasing sleepiness.
Alcohol and Wine
Holiday meals are also often accompanied by alcoholic drinks like wine, champagne, and eggnog. Alcohol is known to cause drowsiness and fatigue by activating adenosine receptors in the brain that promote sleep. Combined with large meals, alcohol can exacerbate that “food coma” feeling.
Breaking a Fast
During festive occasions, people often fast or eat erratically before the big meal, so eating ham after a long period without food can cause blood sugar crashes. This can intensify the effects of insulin spike and makes you sleepier.
Disrupting Circadian Rhythms
Holiday celebrations often involve staying up late and eating at odd timings. This can mess with the body’s circadian clock regulated by melatonin, worsening the sleep-inducing effects of feasting.
The Verdict: Ham Alone Doesn’t Make You Sleepy
Based on the evidence, while ham contains compounds that can potentially induce drowsiness, it’s unlikely to make you sleepy unless consumed in a festive context with overeating, alcohol, irregular sleep, and disruption of circadian rhythms.
Ham might play a small role due to its tryptophan and tyramine content. But roasted turkey actually contains more tryptophan than ham, yet it doesn’t have the same reputation for causing sleepiness!
Other fatty, carb-heavy foods can also elicit a “food coma” effect similar to ham. Ultimately, it’s the combination of multiple factors during festivities rather than ham alone that’s responsible for that familiar post-feast sleepiness.
So go ahead and enjoy some savory ham sandwiches or slices without worrying about dozing off, as long as you practice moderation and balance it with other healthy habits. Ham can absolutely be part of an energizing, nutritious diet when consumed mindfully. Just beware of sneaky holiday boobytraps like glazed hams with sugary coatings.
In conclusion, while ham makes for a tasty treat, it takes more than just this one food to induce sleepiness on its own. The myth of ham’s sleep-promoting properties is most likely the result of overconsumption combined with other lifestyle factors rather than any inherent somnolent qualities within ham itself. Sweet dreams!
Frequently Asked Questions About Ham and Sleepiness
Does ham have more tryptophan than other meats?
No, the tryptophan content in ham is comparable to other protein sources like turkey, chicken, pork, fish and eggs. It does not contain significantly more tryptophan that could induce sleepiness.
Does cured ham make you more sleepy than fresh ham?
Possibly. Curing and smoking ham may increase its tyramine content as proteins break down. Tyramine could contribute to sleepiness by interacting with norepinephrine in the brain. But more research is needed to establish if the tyramine in cured ham directly causes drowsiness.
Can I avoid feeling sleepy by choosing lean ham?
Fat content does not appear to affect ham’s sleep-inducing potential. Lean ham has similar tryptophan and tyramine levels. Overeating any type of ham can lead to sleepiness due to feeling overly full.
Is it just a myth that ham makes you sleepy?
No, there are components in ham that may promote sleepiness, namely tryptophan and tyramine. But the amounts found in normal ham servings are unlikely to cause drowsiness on their own without other lifestyle factors like overeating and alcohol consumption during festive occasions.
Should I avoid ham sandwiches for lunch if I don’t want to get sleepy?
A regular serving of ham sandwich is unlikely to make you drowsy on its own during daytime. Feeling sleepy depends more on portion sizes, what else you eat, and your overall energy levels and sleep patterns rather than just eating ham.
Will eating ham at night help me sleep better?
Possibly. Eating a light ham snack at night may contribute to better sleep due to ham’s tryptophan. But overeating close to bedtime can also impair sleep quality. For best results, eat ham at least 2-3 hours before bedtime as part of a light, balanced diet.
So go ahead, enjoy some tasty ham sandwiches or slices without worrying about dozing off! Just be mindful of portions, pairing carb-heavy sides, alcohol intake and overall lifestyle patterns to minimize holiday food comas.
