Sleepy or sparky? Managing the impact of Christmas dinner
Here’s how to maintain that ebullient Christmas spirit past dinner and capitalize on the potential health benefits of the meal.
Many of us may well be looking forward to the upcoming ‘food coma’ and associated sofa slump that is often synonymous with Christmas Day, particularly after dinner. But why does this ritual induce such a powerful pull towards the land of nod? And for those keen to strike a healthier balance, what is your best bet of doing so, while staying in the realms of tradition?
But first: a myth to bust. A common answer thrown back at the question of post-Christmas dinner drowsiness is that it is due to the high levels of tryptophan – a precursor to melatonin – in turkey. However, many fruits, such as cherries, contain melatonin itself at concentrations comparable to turkey’s tryptophan levels, and yet these are not associated with drowsiness.
Instead, the science seems to point towards carbohydrates, fats and proteins as key drivers of drowsiness after a meal. This has been shown in studies on the diets of truck drivers, which indicate that high carbohydrate and fat diets induce more fatigue. Additionally, a study in Drosophila has identified a neuron that senses the presence of protein in a meal and responds by promoting sleep in the fly.
So, if limiting the intake of these elements during your Christmas meal may be key to maintaining a spritely buzz for the day, which of the remaining elements should be maximized? A team of researchers from Newcastle University (UK), led by Kirsten Brandt, has identified two key aspects of Christmas dinner that offer a host of health benefits.
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Carrots, a classic Christmas accompaniment, contain β-carotene, which has been heavily researched for its health benefits as an antioxidant and precursor of vitamin A. However, in a paper released last year, the team highlighted that the whole carrot provides significant health benefits.
In a systematic review and meta-analysis of nearly 200 studies involving a total of 4.7 million participants, the team found that those who consumed five servings of carrots a week were 20% less likely to develop all types of cancer. What’s more, just one serving was still associated with a 4% decrease in cancer risk.
First author on the paper Charles Ojobor highlighted that in controlled studies, β-carotene fails to show much impact on cancer, but that another phytochemical component of carrots, polyacetylenes, “…have strong effects on cancer,” and are more likely to contribute to this effect.
The same team have also discussed the benefits of a potentially controversial Christmas component: the Brussels sprout. These cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, which interact with proteins associated with DNA repair and the promotion of cell death in tumors. However, preparation is key for maintaining these precious nutrients as Brandt explains, “If you boil the Brussels sprouts then you lose a lot of the important compounds into the water. If you roast them, they are being broken down during the cooking, so steaming is the one that gives most of these tasty and healthy compounds in the final product.”
So, there you have it, all you need to keep Christmas healthy and defy that state of stupor is an extra helping of carrots, steamed Brussels sprouts and a reduced serving of turkey, duck fat roast potatoes and pigs in blankets… But frankly? That sounds awful and as they say, Christmas comes but once a year! It is for each to make their own judgement, but for this Senior Editor at the end of a long year, perhaps the benefits of having a deeply satisfying meal with friends and family followed by a midafternoon snooze outweigh those of attempting to salvage peak physical health from the jaws of indulgence.
