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are 'meat sweats' a thing?

digestion increases the amount of heat your body produces which theoretically could raise your body temperature and cause you to perspire.

if you are getting meat sweats, it's time to look at your diet
while people anecdotally report excessive sweating after eating a lot of meat, science is mixed on whether the meat sweats exist. getty

snapshots of piled meat and barbecued ribs on social media often come with captions like “bring on the meat sweats,” usa today reports .

in fact, you may relate to that feeling after a visit to a rib-fest event or one too many pieces of leftover pepperoni pizza. but does the term refer to an actual condition?

meat sweats, as the name suggests, happen when you perspire after eating a meal rich in meat. the phrase has been bandied about in tv shows, most famously by ‘friends’ character joey tribbiani after eating a whole turkey on thanksgiving.

and earlier this summer, limited edition meat sweat defense antiperspirant spray and deodorant products were launched by deodorant brand old spice in collaboration with arby’s fast food chain.

science is on the fence when it comes to meat sweats

while people anecdotally report excessive sweating after eating a lot of meat, science is mixed on whether the meat sweats exist.

research on digestion shows that different foods prompt different responses, and  macronutrients, like carbohydrates, proteins and fats, are broken down in different ways. what’s called the thermic effect of food (tef) is the amount of energy your body uses to break down a food. digestion causes an increase in the production of heat, thermogenesis, which in theory could raise your body temperature, so you burn calories and potentially perspire, according to the journal nutrition & metabolism . in fact, a  study in the american journal of clinical nutrition found that tef can last beyond six hours after you’ve eaten, so you could be feeling the effects of that meaty meal for some time.

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protein is considered the most difficult macronutrient to break down, requiring more energy and time to get through your system. this is one reason some experts recommend a high-protein diet for weight loss.
but beyond a sweaty brow, are meat sweats a problem?

gena hamshaw, a registered dietitian in new york city and the author of  the full helping vegan blog , told usa today that your body can only absorb a certain amount of protein at any given time, and when you go over that amount, you can risk poor absorption and digestion.

“if it’s happening, it may be that you’re just eating a lot in one sitting and you might feel a little bit better and actually, you know sort of cause your body or spare your body a little bit of effort by having a slightly smaller portion,” she says.
and while hamshaw says meat sweats aren’t harmful or alarming, if you’re getting frequently, it’s time to take a look at your eating habits to make sure your diet is balanced. basically, the message is that meat-eating is not a sport, and protein consumption shouldn’t come at a cost of other important nutrients.

canada’s food guide recommends two servings of meat or meat alternatives a day for women and three servings for men. a serving is about 75g, described as the size of the palm of your hand.

powered by
canadian society for exercise physiology

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karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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karen hawthorne
karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto as a freelancer, and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

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