The Science Behind Strange Food Reactions (and My Own Surprising Discoveries)

❤️ When Pumpkin Seeds Attack

For three days, I couldn’t explain why I was having a sudden, exhilarated heart rate for no reason—until a light bulb went off in my brain after I took a new batch of those roasted seeds out of the oven. “Huh,” I mused. “Aren’t pumpkin seeds supposed to promote heart health? How could they cause these erratic palpitations?”

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with magnesium and potassium to help regulate heart rhythm and rich in arginine, an amino acid that improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. So yes—technically heart healthy! But after some research, I realized it wasn’t the seeds themselves; it was the salt overload. Too much sodium triggered a mild allergic reaction that sent my heart into cardio boot camp mode.

Although rare, pumpkin seed allergies can be serious if anaphylaxis occurs. If symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing, or fainting show up, head straight to your doctor—or the ER if you think you’re dying. Thankfully, I feel safe leaving my EpiPen home this Thanksgiving.

For three days, I couldn’t explain why I was having a sudden, exhilarated heart rate for no reason - until a light bulb went off in my brain after I took a new batch of those roasted seeds out of the oven. “Huh,” I mused. “Aren’t pumpkin seeds supposed to promote heart health? How could they cause these erratic palpitations?” And so, the research began.

Pumpkin seeds contain a high amount of magnesium and potassium, which help regulate heart rhythm. They’re also rich in arginine, an amino acid that increases nitric oxide and dilates blood vessels, helping lower blood pressure. So yes, heart healthy. After digging a little deeper, I realized it was more likely that my high sodium intake from consuming too many roasted and salted seeds triggered a mild allergic reaction, resulting in a rapid pulse. This type of reaction can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, which is not so endearing if you have a weak heart or hypertension.

Although uncommon, an allergic reaction to pumpkin seeds can be serious if anaphylaxis occurs, possibly resulting in a life-threatening, whole-body allergic reaction. If your symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, or fainting, you might want to take a quick trip to your doctor - or the ER, if you think you’re dying. Fortunately, I feel confident leaving the EpiPen home this Thanksgiving.

🥜 Peanut Butter and Sleepytime Science

After going down this rabbit hole, I wanted to know why other foods did weird things. So, here’s the debriefing: In a nutshell, peanut butter contains components that may contribute to feelings of drowsiness. One element is tryptophan; an amino acid your body uses to produce serotonin. Serotonin then goes through a process to create melatonin. These lovely little neurotransmitters allow neurons to communicate with each other throughout the body, which in this case may promote sleep and relaxation. I don’t know about you, but just thinking about it makes me sleepy.

With the impending holidays, I might just switch to turkey for my tryptophan fix. I believe it might require some overindulging to get the same drowsy effect. No doubt, all the other festive foods will have enough carbs to knock me out like a horse on tranquilizers. And for larity’s sake, carbohydrates also contain tryptophan, thus promoting sleepiness. With that said, I’m calling shotgun on the couch this Thanksgiving!

🍞 Carbs, Energy, and Why You Crash

If you remember taking biology in high school or college, one of the core topics was digestion—the progression of food breakdown. The process of carb conversion was also covered. When you consume carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose, which is used for energy. This process can cause a temporary increase in blood sugar levels, which then releases the hormone insulin. Glucose is absorbed into your cells, resulting in a drop in blood sugar levels - leading to feelings of drowsiness or fatigue. If this has you nodding off, circle back to the word “energy.” Feel better?

🍟 The Curious Case of Cold Fries and Hiccups

While all that body chemistry talk made me sleepy, I still need to explain why cold French fries produce hiccups. Since GI issues run rampant in my family, this will be easy to break down. Normally when I think of fermentation, my mind drifts off to thoughts of fine wine. But then there’s the starch factor that ruins those lovely thoughts. Potatoes (a.k.a. French fries) are famously known for their starch, but when potatoes become cold, the starches become resistant (I can relate). In the body, that means they aren’t completely digested in the small intestine. The “resistant starch” moves to the colon, ferments by bacteria in the gut, and produces gas that may aggravate the nerves in your diaphragm. This muscle, which pulls air into your lungs, can spasm and trigger hiccups. Yeah, wine can do that too. But simply put - it’s a gut thing!

💧 My Family’s Odd Allergies

The body is certainly a wonder, and most things disagreeable to it can usually be explained. Then again, some things can’t. My daughter, for example, is allergic to water. This condition, called aquagenic urticaria, causes hives to appear when her skin comes in contact with water. There are fewer than 100 known cases worldwide, so there’s little explanation for this allergy or how to treat it effectively. One allergy specialist suggested it might result from a mutated gene. Since she inherited my genes, this explains a few things. I’m hypersensitive to unnatural light, which, in a sense, is a form of allergy. These mysterious topics, however, are meant for another article.

😄 Final Thoughts

So, whether its pumpkin seeds sending my heart into overdrive, peanut butter lulling me to sleep, or cold fries sparking a hiccup symphony, I’ve accepted that my body has a flair for drama. The way I see it, food keeps life interesting - sometimes literally. I’ll keep eating, learning, and laughing through the odd reactions, because honestly, where’s the fun in being normal?

🍂 Strange Food Reactions — Explained (Sort Of)

Ever notice how your body reacts to certain foods in the weirdest ways? Most strange food reactions can be easily explained, but sometimes, they require a little detective work. I, for instance, recently learned that peanut butter helps me fall asleep, cold French fries make me hiccup, and… I’m apparently allergic to roasted pumpkin seeds. Yep, my heart nearly threw a rave over a batch of buttery, salted seeds.