Nutritionist Pooja Makhija talks about two hacks to beat the post-lunch drowsiness.
Do you feel sleepy after eating rice? Here are the possible reasons
HIGHLIGHTS
- Many feel sleepy after eating rice
- According to the expert, feeling drowsy after eating rice is normal
- To avoid this replace large meals with smaller ones
You've known the midday drowsiness that catches hold of you after your lunch. You may think that the slump is because of the rice we are eating. Well, you are right. But it's not just rice that can make you feel sleepy. According to nutritionist Pooja Makhija, any carb can make you sleepy and that is absolutely normal. In an Instagram video, she explains how this works. Rice, bread or any kind of carb-rich food is made up of starch. During digestion, this starch breaks down into its basic form, glucose.
Is rice making you sleepy? Let's find out
Glucose intake activates the secretion of insulin hormone in the body. This triggers the production of tryptophan, which, in turn, sets off the secretion of the hormones serotonin and melatonin.
You may wonder what's the big deal about all these hormones. In fact, serotonin and melatonin are the happy hormones that trigger our sleep. So, that's how the carbs ultimately lead these hormones to calm down the body and focus on digestion. That causes a feeling of tiredness but it is just a "normal nervous response". That's a lot of explanation for now.
But what can you do if you don't want to feel sleepy and lethargic after your lunch? You may be busy and don't want carbs to drain your day's energy just halfway through the day. What do you do then?
Pooja has the answers to such queries. She has two solutions to beat midday sleepiness. Here they are:
Avoid large meals and prefer small servings. Larger the serving, the more the carb intake. More carbs into the belly will ultimately result in more sleepy hormones being released in the bloodstream and hence, more tiredness.
Eat fewer carbs. Divide the meal into these proportions — 50 per cent vegetables, 25 per cent proteins and 25 per cent carbohydrates. Go less on proteins because they too increase tryptophan levels.
The nutritionist writes in her post, "Avoid the midday slump with these basic hacks. Understanding theory always helps in the long-term application of ‘lifestyle' inducing habits. Thus, my theory explanation video."
Watch the video here:
When it comes to health, it's always good to know the working behind a body mechanism. Thereafter, we can take up natural ways to control and maintain it according to our needs.
(Pooja Makhija is a nutritionist, dietitian and author)
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