The tryptophan in turkey makes you groggy after Thanksgiving dinner. Or worse, after the "turkey dinner" entree at your company cafeteria, when your eyes are drooping at your computer after lunch. So why not neutralize the tryptophan with some caffeine? No, it's not genetically modified. Turkeys already come pre-basted with flavorings, so Butterball would just have to add some caffeine to the mix.

Of course, caffeine affects people differently, so you'd need regular, half-caf, and double-shot versions.
-- axlrosen, Nov 28 2003

The Facts About The L-Tryptophan Effect http://www.ehso.com.../foodtryptophan.php
"L-tryptophan doesn't act on the brain unless you take it on an empty stomach with no protein present. " [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Chemistry @ about.com http://chemistry.ab...eekly/aa110402a.htm
"L-tryptophan needs to be taken on an empty stomach and without any other amino acids or protein in order to make you drowsy" [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Snopes.com Urban Legends page http://www.snopes.c...gredient/turkey.htm
"tryptophan doesn't act on the brain unless it is taken on an empty stomach with no protein present, and the amount gobbled even during a holiday feast is generally too small to have an appreciable effect" [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Dr. Andrew Weil @ wired.com http://www.wired.co.../0,1294,634,00.html
"I don't think the amino acid is to blame for the sudden lethargy that hits just about when it's time to do dishes." [waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

// The tryptophan in turkey makes you groggy //

No, it doesn't. (link)
-- waugsqueke, Nov 28 2003


Next invention: Coffee with turkey powder in it.
-- phundug, Nov 28 2003


Jones Soda company had a recent sell-out of Turkey and Gravy Soda.
-- thumbwax, Nov 28 2003


The effects of this fowl chemical can be reduced simply by eating appropriate amounts. Most likely it is the excess of side dishes that lead to open belt buckle syndrome on bird day eve.
-- UrineForATreat, Nov 28 2003


Robert C... any of those links better?
-- waugsqueke, Nov 29 2003


The links may be true, but irrelevant. It has been proved many times that products with no basis in scientific fact can be marketed quite successfully to the public. Consider the Psychic Friends Network, or airfoils on the back hood of street vehicles. So on that basis I give this a +.
-- krelnik, Nov 29 2003


So factually disproving the premise of ideas is irrevelent now? And we're voting up based on how well we can swindle people?

I'll stick to basing my opinions on the viability of the idea.
-- waugsqueke, Nov 29 2003


Tiramisu stuffing, anyone?
-- thumbwax, Nov 29 2003


Fact: many people believe that the L-tryptophan thing is true.

Fact: the placebo effect is extremely well documented.

Fact: holiday turkey dinners are traditionally huge, and while feast-related stupors are not actually caused by a particular chemical in the turkey, they do happen, probably because the bird wasn't the only thing stuffed that day.

For lack of a buttered potato roll, I give a croissant.
-- darksasami, Nov 30 2003



random, halfbakery