Curiosity Daily
Family Meal Peacekeeping, Food Coma Science, Etiquette Tips
Episode Summary
Learn about how to avoid conflict at family meals; what causes food comas; and how to be a great host or guest.
Today’s stories originally ran in the following episodes of Curiosity Daily:
How to Avoid Conflict at Family Meals by Ashley Hamer originally published November 21, 2018 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/be-the-best-host-or-guest-w-jihan-murray-smith-avo
Food Coma? Here's Why You Get Sleepy After You Eat by Ashley Hamer originally published November 28, 2019 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/food-coma-science-how-to-avoid-raising-materialist
Be the Best Host or Guest (with Jihan Murray-Smith) originally published November 21, 2018 https://omny.fm/shows/curiosity-daily/be-the-best-host-or-guest-w-jihan-murray-smith-avo
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day withCody Gough andAshley Hamer. Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.
Episode Notes
Learn about how to avoid conflict at family meals; what causes food comas; and how to be a great host or guest.
Today’s stories originally ran in the following episodes of Curiosity Daily:
Follow Curiosity Daily on your favorite podcast app to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. Still curious? Get exclusive science shows, nature documentaries, and more real-life entertainment on discovery+! Go to https://discoveryplus.com/curiosity to start your 7-day free trial. discovery+ is currently only available for US subscribers.
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/family-meal-peacekeeping-food-coma-science-etiquette-tips
Episode Transcription
CODY: Hi! You’re about to get smarter in just a few minutes with Curiosity Daily from Discovery. I’m Cody Gough.
ASHLEY: And I’m Ashley Hamer. Today, you’ll learn about how to avoid conflict at family meals; the science behind what makes you fall into a food coma; and how to be the best host or guest so you can make a great first impression, with help from etiquette expert Jihan Murray-Smith. We hand-picked these stories from the last few years to help you have a fantastic holiday season — AND remastered them, just for you.
CODY: Plus, stick around for a brand-new recap segment at the end of today’s episode to hear our fresh takes on all of today’s stories. But right now? Let’s satisfy some curiosity.
RECAP
Hey, we’re back in 2021! Let’s recap the main things we learned today
- CODY: We learned some good tips for keeping the peace during family meals. First, remember alcohol is not required. Nobody’s gonna be mad if you serve delicious apple cider this time of year, right? And speaking of things you don’t need to have a good time: put away your phone! The holidays or any meal might be one of the few times a year you see your cousins or grandparents, so do what you can to actually see them. You can text your friends later, so take a break from your phone.
- ASHLEY: Right. And speaking of breaks, sitting down for a meal this time of year should feel like a break, not a stressful event. I’m sure you want to quote-unquote “fix” what’s wrong with your parents or siblings or son or daughter, but remember that there’s a time and a place for everything. And the Thanksgiving dinner table is NOT that place. I think that rings ESPECIALLY true this year. Remember our conversation a couple weeks ago with Lee McIntyre, or go back if you missed it. Because like we said, you’re probably not gonna change your family’s mind about vaccines while you’re sitting around eating stuffing and cranberries. So TABLE the debate topics, and save them for another time.
- CODY: My favorite Thanksgiving food is mashed potatoesssssssss hbu
- CODY: The scientific term for a food coma is “postprandial somnolence” [post-PRAN-dee-uhl]. It happens because when you eat, your pancreas releases insulin to help your stomach absorb glucose from the carbs you ate. That insulin sends amino acids like tryptophan to your brain, which turns into serotonin, and then melatonin, which makes you feel drowsy. Glucose from carbs can also block brain cells responsible for keeping you alert. So to avoid getting sleepy, eat a balanced meal: avoid too much starch or fat, make sure you get veggies and protein, and don’t eat too fast. Or, just do all those things if you actually want that nap after dinner. Sometimes we all need an excuse to take a break from family time.
- ASHLEY: We also learned some great etiquette tips! If you’re heading to a party or dinner at someone’s place, then a good rule of thumb is to never show up empty-handed. If the host or guests don’t drink, then consider bringing flowers, candles, or a box of chocolate. If the host is preparing a meal, then they probably have the main course and sides figured out. So if you want to pitch in and help with the meal, then dessert might be a safe bet. And if you’re hosting guests, then remember it’s all about making them feel comfortable; make sure the room where they’re staying is cleaned up, and show them around so they’re not surprised by quirky parts of your home. That way they won’t spend all night searching for a hidden bathroom light or wondering if that weird noise they’re hearing is your old dryer or a ghost.
[ad lib optional]
CODY: The writer for today’s stories was Ashley Hamer, who’s also our managing editor.
ASHLEY: Our producer and audio editor is Cody Gough.
CODY: [AD LIB SOMETHING FUNNY] Join us again tomorrow to learn something new in just a few minutes.
ASHLEY: And until then, stay curious!