Dive Brief:
- Researchers think that foods containing higher protein and salt — as well as how much of those foods are consumed — could cause the sleepiness consumers often feel after a large meal, according to a new study published in the journal eLife.
- Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, U.S., discovered a way to study postprandial somnolence, also known as a "food coma," by examining the feeding and sleep behaviors of fruit flies.
- Like humans, fruit flies tended to sleep longer after large meals, and certain foods promoted post-meal sleep better than others, according to the study.
Dive Insight:
From meat snacks to plant-based sources, protein adoption is widespread in food and beverage products today. While alternative plant-based proteins have shown significant growth in sales and interest in recent years, meat consumption remains strong. Manufacturers have tapped into both to bring new protein-based products to market.
However, this study's findings could impact manufacturers' approach to protein ingredients. Protein-based products, such as snack bars and shakes, were especially popular among the active and athletic demographics. Protein continues to be a pillar of health and energy claims manufacturers make.
But if researchers confirm that consuming a certain amount of protein can make consumers feel sluggish after, that could push manufacturers to adjust the amount of protein in a product, make the product smaller or find a different energy-enhancing ingredient altogether. That could be especially true if the product is savory and contains salt, as the combination of the two could enhance the "food coma" effects.
Conversely, these findings could present opportunities for nighttime meals, snacks and beverages. For consumers struggling with their sleep patterns, foods specially designed to help them fall and stay asleep for longer could be appealing. By formulating products to purposely induce a "food coma," manufacturers could add a new functionality to foods and beverages that creates an entirely new segment of what might even be considered medical foods.