5 Myths About Thanksgiving Food —Debunked

If only the turkey on your Thanksgiving table could talk. That bird would like a word about how “exhausting” it is. The idea that turkey makes us tired has been passed around holiday celebrations for a long time—and it’s not the only myth shared year after year. Is canned pumpkin really less nutritious than fresh? Is dousing the cranberries in sugar an absolute must? Here, we debunk these and other myths about Thanksgiving food—so you can serve up the facts at this year’s feast. Myth: Turkey makes you tired. Truth: Turkey meat contains L-tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid that helps produce serotonin—often described as the “feel-good” hormone—and melatonin, which promotes sleep. “But you’d have to eat a lot of turkey—actually about 4 pounds of it—by yourself, in one sitting, for it to make you sleepy,” says Roxana Ehsani, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Miami. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] So why do we get drowsy after inhaling a big holiday feast? “Likely because you’re consuming high amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods—like stuffing or mashed potatoes, rolls, cornbread, all the desserts, maybe even a few alcoholic beverages,” Ehsani says. “All those things will cause a rise in blood sugar and then a crash, which will lead to fatigue.” Research indicates that high-carb, high-fat meals—hello, Thanksgiving dinn...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Diet & Nutrition healthscienceclimate Wellbeing Source Type: news