In 2019, I sat across from my brother whose forehead was sweaty during a family dinner at emmy squared.
Four of the restaurant’s Detroit-style pizzas were on the table. She had chewed through several loaded slices of pepperoni and prioritized others with meat toppings
“Oh man,” he said. “I have the meat sweats.”
I laughed, almost spitting out my water. My parents seemed worried.
Before that, I hadn’t really heard the phrase. But the term was not new then and it is not new now. In fact, it’s frequently mentioned, with many social media users sharing images of stacked meat with captions like “bring the meat sweats.”
So seriously, what are meat sweats? We ask the experts.
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What are meat sweats?
The name says it all. Meat sweats occur when you get very sweaty after eating large amounts of meat.
And whether or not you’ve ever experienced a wet forehead after swallowing chunks of meat, chances are you’ve heard the phrase.
fast food chain by arby even launched a limited edition “Meat Sweat Defense Kit” in collaboration with deodorant brand Old Spice earlier this summer, which, according to HypeBeastsold out.
The term has also been used in television shows. some hypothesize the phrase originated or became a “family term” when the character Joey Tribbiani wore it on the popular sitcom “Friends”.
Are meat sweats real?
Depends on who you ask. The anecdotal evidence is strong, but the scientific evidence is weak.
There are many outlets, including men’s health Y food and wine who have posted stories about the veracity of meat sweats citing first-hand experiences, chefs, and other experts and commenting on meat sweats and how real they are: Well-informed person he also quotes a doctor commenting on the theory.
But actual studies to back up these claims are few and far between.
Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, who is a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition, tells USA TODAY in an emailed statement that there is no research or evidence-based sources for meat sweat.
Why are meat sweats believed to occur?
gena hamshawa registered dietitian in New York City and author of The Full Helping blog, says meat sweats can occur because of how our bodies digest the specific macronutrient meats are known for: protein.
“My understanding is that it’s really about our body trying to break down protein,” she says.
“One hypothesis is that meat sweat is a thermogenic (metabolic heat production) response to eating a large portion of meat. The body can only absorb a certain amount of protein at a time, exceeding that amount can lead to poor nutrition.” absorption and digestion.
In simple terms, your body needs to use so much energy to break down the large amount of meat and absorb the nutrients that it starts to sweat.
And while there are no studies on meat sweat specifically, there is research on thermogenesis and protein intake who have found that higher protein intake induces higher thermogenesis.
Are meat sweats a problem?
Hamshaw says that meat sweats are not something to raise alarm about.
“The condition itself is not harmful. Like nothing is bad or wrong. It’s not like some kind of state of emergency or something alarming,” she says.
But, if you’re constantly sweating meat, you might want to ask yourself if your diet is balanced. Is your meat consumption so much that it is crowding out other nutritional parts of your diet?
How to avoid meat sweats
Hamshaw says that you may want to reduce your meat intake if you want to avoid this reaction.
“If it’s happening, it could be that you’re eating a lot in one sitting and you’re feeling a little better, and you actually know that it causes your body or saves it a little bit of effort by having a little bit of a smaller portion,” he says. Hamshaw.
Zumpano adds that it is advisable to avoid large portions of meat, especially if you want to experience this type of reaction.
“In general, a suggested serving of meat ranges from 3 to 6 ounces per meal or snack,” she says.
