Have you just had lunch and already feel lethargic? The post-lunch break arrives. Don't worry, it happens to everyone. That said, the phenomenon of post-prandial drowsiness (more commonly called “sluggishness” after a meal) can easily be avoided.

Pay attention to the glycemic index of your meals.

It is advisable to favor foods with a low glycemic index. The glycemic index reflects the variation in blood sugar (blood glucose level) after ingestion of the food. The lower the glycemic index of your meal, the less insulin the pancreas will need to secrete to bring the glucose level down to around 1g/L and therefore limit blood sugar peaks. Otherwise, it is spikes in blood sugar that cause these famous dips. Among foods with a low glycemic index, you can find fruits, vegetables and legumes (such as lentils for example). For information, a meal has a low glycemic index if it does not exceed 50. Between 50 and 70, the glycemic index is considered medium and above 70, it is said to be high. At Feed., the glycemic index of products varies between 22 and 30 depending on the recipes.

Consume protein.

After a meal rich in carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, such as potatoes, your body will produce a high dose of insulin. Following this, tryptophan will massively penetrate your brain. Tryptophan is an amino acid that allows the synthesis of serotonin. This neurotransmitter will calm you down, relax you and therefore potentially put you to sleep. At the same time, the greater the production of serotonin, the more the body secretes melatonin in response, which is also known as the sleep hormone. Conversely, a meal rich in protein limits the access of tryptophan to the brain unlike that of tyrosine and phenylalanine. These last two amino acids will increase the concentrations of dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters will create a state of alert, vigilance and concentration. Increasing your dose of protein during a meal will therefore allow you to stay more awake. Feed bars. contain on average 20 grams of protein for 400 kcal and a low glycemic index.

Eat slowly (and therefore less).

Your body produces a hunger-regulating hormone, leptin, just 20 minutes after you start eating. Once produced, the brain realizes that we can stop eating. Conversely, ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, begins to decrease significantly. The slower you eat, the more time leptin levels have to rise and your brain has time to understand that you have eaten enough.

In summary.

To limit the afternoon slump as much as possible, you need to eat foods with a low glycemic index, proteins and, above all, eat slowly.