Many of us are quite familiar with the lethargic haze of postprandial somnolence—better known as a “food coma”—that inevitably descends upon us after we’ve overindulged in the myriad dinner courses, wines, and desserts that typify the holiday season. Now researchers have shown that this common post-meal phenomenon may have an unexpected culprit: sugar.

What is a food coma?Despite the seemingly comical name, this is actually a medically recognized condition known as post-prandial somnolence. Unlinke a real coma, food coma is the completely natural feeling of fatigue you get when you’ve finished eating a meal. As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the meal, the harder you’ll fall asleep.

If you overeat, a food coma is going to be inevitable. There isn't much you can do about it. Nonetheless, the sleepiness we sometimes feel after a meal isn't always related to the quantity of food we eat. As Scientific American explains, sucrose is the most common culprit.

Bedeutung:umgangssprachlich, scherzhaft

Fressnarkose, Fressstarre, Futternarkose, Schnitzelkoma, Suppenkoma

Nach dem Mittagessen fallen sie dann in die Fressstarre, auch bekannt als Suppenkoma oder Schnitzeldelirium: Rien ne va plus.