Staring at the walls because you are unable to sleep? Staying up the night through is a painful experience and makes one long to reach out for the sleeping pill bottle or take a swig from a wine bottle, but is this the answer? No, why don’t we suggest you a few gourmet delights that can help you doze off, read on for more.
It may come as a surprise to you but at times eating the wrong foods may chase the sleep away from your eyes. According to a Study conducted at the University of Cambridge, protein-rich foods agitate the orexin cells in the brain forcing one to be energetic and active. Let’s disclose the foods that promote sleep.
The flavor laden Passion fruit tea
A tea made from passion fruit or parsley helps the person sleep soundly at night. The passion flower has high levels of a chemical called Harman alkaloids that calm the nervous system and put a person to sleep.
The yummy and healthy Bananas
The balanced sugars present in the bananas are capable of calming the energy laden orexin cells. Munch a banana before hitting the shack, the potassium and magnesium present in the banana along with the sugar calms down the muscles.
The juicy brown Dates
The amino acid L-tryptophan makes a person sleepy and is most effective when it is taken along with carbohydrates. The body produces insulin when it takes in carbohydrates. This insulin acts on the other amino acids present in the body and leaves the L-tryptophan to relax the body. Dates have large amount of L-tryptophan and are rich in carbohydrates and thus can promote sleep.
Hummus
This yummy spread made from chick peas and sesame is packed with the amino acid L-tryptophan and makes one bring on sleep quickly.
The red succulent cherries
Once again we disclose you a food rich in L-tryptophan. It’s the red cherry. Just extract a glassful of cherry juice and let the body convert the L-tryptophan into serotonin and then melatonin and bring on the sleep. You can also pop a bowlful of the succulent red cherries for the same effect. Other foods that produce melatonin include the oats, yogurt, peanuts, milk and oats.
Yummy gourmet Chinese meals
Foods like Chinese are prepared using Monosodium glutamate (MSG) that is a salt that is rich in glutamic acid. This is a precursor to gamma-Aminobutyric acid or GABA and can also be termed an energy breaker. GABA is actually the body’s inhibitory neuro-transmitter and tapers down the high activity levels.
The other ways to find GABA is through low fat cottage cheese, raw seaweed, Chinese cabbage, spirulina. The natural options are a better way out than the chemicals especially if one experiences the harsh effects of the MSG.
Edited by Neelam Goswami on 28-02-2014.
