Christmas Day is at time for overindulging but now experts have revealed exactly what that means for our bodies.
Healthy eating experts from musclefood.com have explained what impact a festive day of eating and drinking can have on the body.
From feeling sluggish and lethargic to eyeing up more leftovers, the body’s processes can have a huge effect on our mood and energy levels throughout the day.
A spokesperson for musclefood said: ‘Christmas is the one day of the year many families will eat to their hearts content.
‘Everyone suffers from a dip where they find themselves playing board games or watching tv, but they can soon recover at the mention of a cheeseboard or leftovers.
‘Our bodies go through some pretty hard work whilst we sit around doing nothing, so it’s important to be kind to them throughout the festive period.’
This is what musclefood says happens to your body on Christmas Day:
After five minutes
After enjoying a glass of fizz or your favourite tipple with your meal the alcohol will be in your bloodstream after only five minutes. The alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream through the small intestines and stomach, dilating blood vessels and making you feel warm and cosy.
After 20 minutes
It can take up to 20 minutes for your body to feel full, but the likelihood is you probably filled up before this point. The stomach has a capacity of around a litre, so after eating and drinking a full Christmas Dinner it has to expand, squeezing other organs and causing excess gas.
After 30 minutes
The pancreas will now start to produce insulin, the hormone which helps convert glucose to storable glycogen. However, it’s Christmas Day so you’ve probably overeaten. This means blood sugar levels will increase rapidly making your pancreas work overtime. Once it’s done its work you will suffer a drop in blood sugar levels, making you feel tired.
After an hour
Blood has flown straight to your digestive tract in order to break down the food. For this to happen your body naturally increases its metabolic and heart rate, meaning your internal temperature also increases, resulting in meat sweats.
The drinks you enjoyed earlier are now working to slow down digestion, and with rich foods being difficult to break down you’re left feeling stuffed and sluggish.
After two hours
Proteins and fats sit in your stomach for two to three hours leaving you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. This is also when wind hits, as your stomach squeezes to get rid of all the air you swallowed when eating, enzymes are also trying to break down the food. Raffinose, a complex sugar found in vegetables such as Brussels Sprouts, is something the body can’t process, meaning there’s only one way out.
After six hours
All the food and drink is now in the large intestine – a process that can take six to eight hours. This means that you may start to consider picking on the leftovers.
After 24 hours
A trip to the toilet will get rid of any undigested food left in the body and the hangover should begin to ease.
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