What many people do not know is that the quality of the foods we choose plays an important role in providing our bodies with energy and activity or, on the contrary, increases our levels of laziness and lethargy, as eating some types of food in excessive quantities causes the body to secrete hormones that lead to a feeling of laziness and exhaustion, according to the Academy. Nutrition and Dietetics in America.
The effect of serotonin
Nutritionist Sandra Akiki told Sky News Arabia:
The association of lethargy with some types of food is something confirmed by science. For example, eating large amounts of foods that contain a lot of protein, such as chicken, fish, milk, eggs and soy, leads to the secretion of tryptophan, an amino acid that causes the body to synthesize a substance or the hormone serotonin, which plays a major role. Influencing some body functions such as mood and sleep Any defect in the secretion of the hormone serotonin leads to a defect in the pattern of sleep in humans, and highlights lethargy and laziness.
Digest foods that contain fat
Akiki adds:
Pasta, rice, white bread, and foods that contain flour are those rich in starches, in addition to foods that contain a lot of sugar, which raise blood sugar, and therefore, if insulin levels in the body are not sufficient to regulate blood sugar, symptoms of lethargy and laziness appear in the digestion process that It occurs after eating, and it plays a role in increasing the levels of lethargy and fatigue, especially if the meal was fatty and large. The process of digesting foods that contain fats takes a lot of time, which drains the body’s energy.
Elements that reduce body energy
Akiki explains:
Because of the nature of modern life, people are always looking for what boosts their energy levels, without realizing that her actions are the first cause of this feeling. The daily preoccupations of work, the inability to exercise, and the lack of reliance on a healthy diet are all elements that reduce energy levels in the body and cause lethargy.
Focus on the quantity and quality of food
For her part, Jumana Al-Bashiti, a clinical nutritionist, said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia” that:
The reason a person feels lethargic after eating is due to two things, namely the quantity and quality of the food he eats. Fast food and foods rich in fat, such as fries, burgers, and pizza, are not easily digested by the body, so they remain for a while in the digestive system and lead to a feeling of lethargy, in addition to fatty and fat-rich red meat, after eating which one feels tired and sleepy.
Foods that give us energy and then cause lethargy
Al-Bashiti adds that there are foods that directly provide the body with energy, and then cause a severe drop in blood sugar levels, which are processed and refined sugars or starches, such as white bread, as the increased intake of these types of foods causes lethargy after a while, because the body has tried to control sugar. blood, but reduced it more than needed.
The body absorbs vitamins while it is resting
According to Al-Bashiti:
Drinking while eating sometimes causes bloating or indigestion, so it is better to postpone drinks until after eating. The need to eat slowly to avoid feeling lethargic. Do not eat late at night, as the body is forced to digest foods and absorb vitamins and minerals, while it is tired and in need of rest.
