Today I was very tired, and was struggling to stay awake. However, after I ate some fantastic dinner I become so much more awake and the tiredness became eliminated. Why does this happen?
In: Biology
I always get sleepy when I eat. Even small amounts unless it’s caffinated or sugary. But simply put more fuel more energy.
What were you doing when you were tired, and what did you do after dinner?
Because of different food components:
Carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes, grains, etc.) are a great source of energy. Generally speaking the lighter/smoother the texture is, the quicker your body turns it into energy. That’s why you get a burst of energy after eating something sugary sweet (sugar is pure carbohydrate) or pasta dishes, mashed potato etc. The downside to this is, that energy from simple carbohydrates (as in, simple structure, easy to break down) doesn’t last.
On the other hand, the darker/coarser the carbs are – think potatoes with skins on, wholewheat pasta, wholemeal or granary bread or brown rice etc., these are still covered in a layer of fibre, which stops us from digesting it too quickly, so the energy release is a lot slower, but steadier over a few hours. These are called complex carbohydrates and are generally considered a healthier option.
That’s just the basics that answer your question directly, but if you are interested, I can explain a bit more about the rest of the food groups.
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