Why Do Salads Make Me Sleepy?
I've noticed lately, however, that when I have a salad for lunch I get REALLY sleepy afterward, almost like I had a bunch of carbs. However, the salad I just ate just had cabbage, parsley, an array of roasted veggies that I keep on hand frozen in small portions (zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, green beans, red bell peppers, a little onion, a little okra, mushrooms), and Whole Foods fat-free mozzarella. The whole salad only had 112 calories, 12 grams of protein, 11 net carbs, and half a gram of fat. In other words, there is nothing in there that should bring on a carb coma. Yet, I just dozed off unintentionally and only woke up when someone opened the door to my office, and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open now.
I've noticed this with a few other salads lately too with a similar nutritional profile, though usually they are about 130-150 calories (with meat). I don't get the same effect when I eat nuts or have a protein shake. Anyone else want to pass out after eating salad? What might be causing this?
Having RNY was probably the best thing I've ever done for myself.
Approx highest weight: ~350. Highest measured weight: 338. Surgery weight: 297. Lowest weight (for 5 minutes): 169. Current weight: 209. Goal weight: ??? - maybe 180-185, which was my maintenance weight before the regain.
Having RNY was probably the best thing I've ever done for myself.
Approx highest weight: ~350. Highest measured weight: 338. Surgery weight: 297. Lowest weight (for 5 minutes): 169. Current weight: 209. Goal weight: ??? - maybe 180-185, which was my maintenance weight before the regain.
I noticed that when i eat a low fat meal- I get sleepy . But adding some good fat - and I am OK.
Also - roasted veggies are very easy to digest and they turn into sugar faster that raw veggies.
Protein - can be easily turn into a sugar also.
The other thing is volume- If my meal is big -(volume wise) my body thinks that I got a lot to digest and my BP dropps causing sleepiness. The digestion process - may cause "food coma"
Post-prandial somnolence is a state of drowsiness or lassitude following a meal. Post-prandial somnolence has two components – a general state of low energy related to activation of the parasympathetic nervous system in response to nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract, and a specific state of sleepiness caused by hormonal and neurochemical changes related to the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream and its downstream effects on amino acid transport in the central nervous system..
Physiology
Parasympathetic activation
In response to the arrival of food in the stomach and small intestine, the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system increases and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system decreases.[1][2] This shift in the balance of autonomic tone towards the parasympathetic system results in a subjective state of low energy and a desire to be at rest, the opposite of the fight-or-flight state induced by high sympathetic tone. The larger the meal, the greater the shift in autonomic tone towards the parasympathetic system, regardless of the composition of the meal.
Insulin, large neutral amino acids, and tryptophan
When foods with a high glycemic index are consumed, glucose is absorbed rapidly from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream, and in individuals with normal carbohydrate metabolism, insulin levels rise concordantly to drive glucose in to the body's tissues and maintain blood glucose levels in the normal range.[3] Insulin stimulates the uptake of valine, leucine, isoleucine, and tyrosine into skeletal muscle, but not uptake of tryptophan. This lowers the ratio of these large neutral amino acids in the bloodstream relative to tryptophan[4], making tryptophan preferentially available to the large neutral amino acid transport at the blood-brain barrier.[5] Uptake of tryptophan by the brain thus increases. In the brain, tryptophan is converted to serotonin[6], which is then converted to melatonin. Increased brain serotonin and melatonin levels result in sleepiness that has been objectively measured.[7]
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postprandial_somnolence
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
Having RNY was probably the best thing I've ever done for myself.
Approx highest weight: ~350. Highest measured weight: 338. Surgery weight: 297. Lowest weight (for 5 minutes): 169. Current weight: 209. Goal weight: ??? - maybe 180-185, which was my maintenance weight before the regain.
Did you see my carb fest post yesterday? I pointed out to someone who asked if I went into a carb coma that I know how to get around that. So long I hit my body’s protein “sweet spot" nothing makes me sleepy. So I never eat a carb without a solid protein source. I’m not sure if I am glad I know this!
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
Having RNY was probably the best thing I've ever done for myself.
Approx highest weight: ~350. Highest measured weight: 338. Surgery weight: 297. Lowest weight (for 5 minutes): 169. Current weight: 209. Goal weight: ??? - maybe 180-185, which was my maintenance weight before the regain.
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
That's why I had to figure that out. I added mayo next meal, and little less chicken - no food coma. Go figure...
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
