Though the amino acid is in turkey, it's got a bad rap, and experts say it's not the tryptophan that causes eyes to droop after a big Thanksgiving meal: It's the carbs and the amount of food eaten.

Getting back to the tryptophan in the turkey, which is a natural sedative and amino acid. It has been blamed for years for our sudden sleepiness after Thanksgiving dinner.

Beef contains 230 milligrams of tryptophan, while lean ground beef (10% fat) has 102 milligrams per 100 grams. It’s also a great source of vitamin B12, iron, and zinc.

Thanks to tryptophan, turkey gets a bad rap as the main culprit for Thanksgiving naps, but the truth is it’s the entire meal that's making you sleepy.

To get the amount of tryptophan required to cause a food coma, he said, we’d have to eat about 8 pounds of turkey meat — about half of a typical bird meant to serve a crowd.

Published November 28, 2011•Updated on November 28, 2011 at 3:50 pm We just woke up from our tryptophan nap, just in time for Cyber Monday deals! So now that we’ve fully recovered from our ...

You don't have to succumb to the afternoon slump — a daily siesta, or afternoon nap, can help you feel rested enough to knock out the end of your day with renewed energy.

When tryptophan hits our gut bacteria break it down into byproducts, but what they become depends on where they’re used. “If tryptophan hits our body’s cells, it tends to go get broken down ...

A good siesta can offer significant mental and physical health benefits. Here's how to take a nap that won't affect your nighttime sleep — and will leave you feeling energized.

You have probably heard that it’s all due to the tryptophan in the turkey, which can make people feel tired. But it’s not really just the turkey that is making you tired! Author: Rose Beltz ...