What is good to eat at night. What can you eat at night? Grocery list. Video: eating before bed is a huge harm or benefit
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Keeping the body in good shape is becoming more and more popular every year. Numerous studies have shown that maintaining normal weight directly related to human health. Therefore, the topic of proper nutrition affects every person. Today we will talk about what to eat before bed so that our body does not feel a nutritional deficiency, while not putting off reserves in the form of fat.
Why you can not eat at night
Night snacks, like late dinners, are dangerous not only for the figure. They can cause serious health problems, sleep disturbances or premature aging. The human body at night is rebuilt to a slow mode, metabolic processes become less active. This leads to the fact that food is poorly digested. The pancreas secretes enzymes and gallbladder- bile. Due to slow digestion, food ferments in the gastrointestinal tract, bile stagnates. Over time, this can lead to the formation of stones. The released glucose is not used as energy, but stored as fat, and the released glucose interferes with sleep.
Proper nutrition is based on the selection of a diet where calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates are in harmony with human activity. For example, athletes need to consume more protein than the average person so that the muscles do not deplete during training.
What not to eat in the evening
It is important to adhere to the daily caloric content and balance of BJU. If they correspond to the energy used, the person will always be in shape. Doctors and nutritionists recommend eating carbohydrate-rich foods in the morning, as they release a lot of energy, which is necessary for daily activity. In the evening, protein foods should be preferred. It is not recommended to eat high-calorie meals and fast carbohydrates in the evening, which we know as sweets, pastries, soda, etc. High-calorie unhealthy foods include sausages, milkshakes with a lot of sugar, fried red meat, etc. Do not eat ice cream or chocolate at night. They trigger the release of endorphins, which stimulate nervous system and can cause insomnia.
There is no benefit in eating dairy products before bed. But many diets are based on this, which recommend eating cottage cheese before going to bed or drinking kefir with the addition of cinnamon and other spices. These foods do not have a high glycemic index, but insulin levels are high enough to cause insulin to be released into the blood. This is displayed on the body with extra pounds, which causes misunderstanding among those who are losing weight, because there are almost no calories in kefir.
Top 10 Worst Nightly Foods
Equally important for a healthy diet is the concept of insulin and glycemic index. They show how quickly carbohydrates are absorbed by the body, causing a spike in blood sugar. Based on the performance of such indices, it is possible to determine which foods with high rates are not recommended to eat at night, especially for people with overweight. If you do not spend the energy received in the process of their breakdown into glucose, they will be deposited in the form of fat reserves. For an evening snack, even a few hours before bedtime, it is better to choose foods with a minimum carbohydrate content.
Table of foods with a high insulin index: what not to eat at night.
Foods that cause insomnia
Insomnia is a problem that every person faces. It can be caused by health problems. But often the reason for this is our diet. Some foods that cause sleep disturbances are known to everyone, for example, coffee, tea. But more often than not, we cannot even think what causes such nervous excitement in our body. The main enemies of sleep are foods that are high in spices, salt or garlic. Therefore, it is best to avoid eating foods that are too spicy or spicy, such as Chinese food, before bed.
The main enemies of sleep are foods that are high in spices, salt or garlic.
Fatty food can also cause restless sleep, so avoid red meat and oily fish, cakes, oily foods, cakes or nuts. At night, the gastrointestinal tract is not active enough to digest them, there is a feeling of heaviness, which makes it difficult to sleep. Yellow cheeses are high in fat. In addition, they contain thiamine - an invigorating component that is part of coffee. The same substance is found in tomatoes and tomato sauces. Smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages can provoke insomnia.
What to choose for dinner
The benefits of figure and health will bring the use of evening time proteins and fiber (except starchy foods). For dinner, you can choose fish with vegetables, green salads, baked vegetables or grilled vegetables. Heat treatment will speed up the absorption of fiber, which will help the gastrointestinal tract cope with its digestion. If it is not a night snack, then it is allowed to eat some eggs or poultry meat. Sweet treats that cannot be eaten can be replaced with moderately sweet berries. It is better to give preference to strawberries or blueberries.
For dinner, you can cook fish with vegetables, green salads, baked vegetables.
Human nutrition affects not only his figure and appearance, but also the state of health. Particular attention should be paid to food consumed before bedtime, since the body is much more difficult to cope with digestion due to physiological characteristics. You should not eat foods with a high glycemic or insulin index, too fatty or invigorating foods. It is better to give preference to light protein foods or fiber.
Of course, eating at night is very harmful, especially for large portions, sweet and fatty foods. From such food, the body receives a lot of calories that it does not have time to spend, hence excess weight accumulates.
Also, due to overeating before going to bed, there will be no appetite in the morning, and bags appear under the eyes. In addition, a full stomach will not let you fall asleep.
But going to bed feeling very hungry is also not the best option, including when losing weight, for two main reasons:
- Falling asleep will be difficult, more likely to be poor sleep. Getting up and eating in the middle of the night is even worse than having a snack in the evening.
- If the body is hungry, a person tries not to eat after 6 pm, then the brain in this economy mode gives signals to store fat even more for a “rainy day” as soon as food enters the stomach.
If you really want to eat before bedtime, then this can be done, but key moment- which products and in what quantities. It is better to eat food at least an hour before bedtime, giving preference to light meals from and have a positive effect on it.
If a person goes to the gym in the evenings, then the food eaten after a workout is burned quickly, without being deposited in fat reserves. In this case, the evening snack will only benefit: it will help the muscles recover.
What foods can you eat at night while losing weight
To lose weight, you should understand: all foods consumed at night should be taken into account and fit into the total calorie intake per day.
What can you eat in the evening so as not to get better:
- Protein products. This group includes eggs. They are allowed to cook 2 pieces or cook an omelette for a couple, including with the addition of vegetables. Another good choice for a late dinner is a couple of slices of boiled poultry (chicken, turkey), the total portion weight should not exceed 150 g. Low-fat fish is useful for an evening snack: hake or cod (salmon or mackerel will not work). All these foods contain virtually no carbohydrates, they are low in fat, but they include a lot of proteins and minerals necessary for health.
- Dairy products. This is one of the most successful nighttime snacks, as beneficial lactic acid bacteria activate the intestines. A glass of kefir, fermented baked milk or yogurt, 100-150 g of cottage cheese will provide the body with a portion of calcium and easily digestible protein. At the same time, it is worth choosing products of low fat content, without the addition of sugar and flavors with dyes.
- Low GI. Carbohydrates, especially fast ones, are the worst option for late-night snacking. Especially in type 2 diabetes. But foods with slow sugars that have a low glycemic index can be consumed in small quantities. It can be sprouted grains, whole durum wheat pasta. Soy also has a low rate, so dishes from it, including meat substitutes, are allowed to be eaten in the evening. Of the desserts, only dark chocolate without sugar is allowed.
- Vegetables. At night, you can eat almost any vegetable, except for potatoes. They should be steamed or slow cooker with minimal salt and no fat. It is better to add spices to make the taste more vivid.
- Fruit. You should choose not very sweet. It is good to eat citrus fruits, they are rich in ascorbic acid (orange, grapefruit), as well as kiwi. But provided there are no problems with the gastrointestinal tract, namely hyperacidity stomach, otherwise you can provoke gastritis. Bananas and avocados are allowed to be consumed, but only half of the fruit. You should be careful with apples, as they can whet your appetite even more. It is better to eat a pear.
- Berries. They are a source of fiber necessary for good bowel function, as well as antioxidants that slow down aging. This food is low in calories. The evening allowable portion of berries is about a glass.
- Nuts. This food satisfies hunger well due to the high concentration of proteins and fats. But due to the significant calorie content, the amount of nuts should be controlled. They can be eaten no more than 30g. For an evening snack, use almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts.
Eating food in the evening, you should eat it very slowly, chewing thoroughly. This will promote better satiety and protect against overeating.
An evening snack does not have to consist of one product, it can be a whole dish.
Here are some useful options:
- If you use whole grain bread, then it is allowed to cook a sandwich with lettuce and slices of not very fatty hard cheese.
- From low-fat cottage cheese with the addition of sweeteners and without flour for the evening, you can cook cheesecakes.
- At proper nutrition a small portion of oatmeal and buckwheat with kefir is allowed.
- Good for a late dinner vegetable soups and seafood dishes.
- Another good option is hummus, which is chickpea paste with spices. You just need to choose the option where a little oil is used.
- From kefir or yogurt, you can cook okroshka with vegetables and herbs.
- A glass of low-fat chicken broth satisfies hunger well.
- In addition to nuts, pumpkin seeds are useful as a source of fiber, magnesium and zinc. They can be eaten before going to bed 30-50 g.
From fats, no more than 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil is allowed for vegetable salads. From desserts, you can have a snack with fruit or berry ice cream without sugar, it is better to make your own.
Under a strict ban, when you lose weight, only those foods that contain a lot of calories, fast carbohydrates or fats.
The list of what not to eat in the evening includes:
- red meats, fatty poultry;
- smoked fish and meat products;
- sweet foods, pastries from premium flour;
- soft wheat vermicelli, white polished rice;
- any fast food dishes;
- animal fats, mayonnaise;
- all tonic drinks (black and green tea, coffee);
- alcohol.
Also, to lose weight quickly, you should avoid salty foods, otherwise it will provoke stagnation of fluid in the body, in the morning there will be swelling on the legs and bags under the eyes.
Healthy drinks before bed
Those who are on a diet can drink warm milk with a little honey and spices before going to bed. It not only satisfies hunger, but also promotes good sleep. Vegetable milk substitutes are also suitable: from soy, nuts or other crops (buckwheat, oats), but without the addition of refined sugar.
It is good to drink herbal teas at night. Decoctions medicinal plants, especially chamomile, mint, lemon balm or lavender have a calming effect. They also add a teaspoon of honey. Lemon ginger tea is also helpful.
Among juices in the evening, it is worth giving preference to cherry. It contains a compound close to melatonin that regulates sleep and wakefulness. It is good to add spices to the juice.
Is it possible to drink water
Often hunger is actually thirst. Therefore, a glass of water (cool or slightly warm) before going to bed can be drunk. Slices or lemon juice are added to it for taste and activation of fat burning processes.
The key to weight loss is fractional nutrition. You need to eat during the day in small portions, without hunger strikes, so that the body does not go into saving mode. An evening snack from the right products only contributes to good sleep and weight loss.
“If you want to lose weight, don’t eat after six in the evening,” our parents told us, and they were wrong. Today, more and more nutritionists agree that eating in the evening is not only possible, but also necessary. The only thing to consider is that you don’t need to eat up just before bedtime, but planning dinner as the most important meal of the day is a must. What should be dinner for weight loss and what to do if hunger attacks at night - MedAboutMe experts tell.
The feeling of hunger intensifies in the evening - this axiom is familiar to all those who lose weight. This is caused, first of all, by the fact that by the evening a person usually feels tired, daytime chores and worries do not pass without a trace. To cope with the emotional burden and temporary breakdown, you need to eat. And a fairly dense dinner in terms of not calorie content, but saturation of the body with nutrients is what the doctor ordered. Without it, there will be no surge of strength and energy, which means that your well-being will suffer. But this is not the only reason for an increase in appetite in the evening.
The increased feeling of hunger is also due to the fact that the body is preparing for many hours of food restriction, because it will have to spend the whole night without food. A protective mechanism is activated, which requires enough energy for all organs and systems to work normally.
During a night's rest, when a person basks in the "embrace of Morpheus", the pituitary gland actively produces growth hormone somatotropin. Few people know that its action is aimed, among other things, at burning adipocytes (fat cells). This means that all metabolic processes that occur in the body at night are carried out mainly due to the burning of fats.
But if carbohydrates dominated the meal menu and after the blood glucose level increased significantly, a large amount of insulin is produced. This blocks the effect of growth hormone, the pituitary gland receives a signal about the receipt of an additional portion of energy and suspends the expenditure of the body's reserves to maintain its life. This is why people stop losing weight in their sleep!
Expert comment
Artemyeva Anastasia Alexandrovna, endocrinologist, nutritionist of the multidisciplinary medical center "NouvelleClinic"
The long-suffering question “what can I eat to lose weight?” can be equally attributed to the meal during the day, and to the evening meal. The basic pattern remains: if you want to lose weight, you should eat less than the number of calories you burned that day. Therefore, if in the morning you practically did not eat, and a denser meal fell for dinner and at the same time you did not exceed your daily caloric intake of food, then there should not be weight gain. Conversely, if the calorie content of the daily diet exceeded your needs, then the lack of dinner will not help you lose weight.
The recommendation to limit food intake in time is primarily based on its effect on the gastrointestinal tract and sleep. You should not eat later than 2-3 hours before bedtime in order to prevent reflux and exacerbation or development of gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, esophagitis, etc.). Also, late eating can affect the quality and duration of sleep. However, studies on this subject are quite contradictory, so be guided by your feelings. If after taking any products in the evening your sleep is disturbed, then they should be excluded from a late dinner.
In order to limit the calorie content of food in the evening, a recommendation based on thermogenesis can be used, i.e. energy consumption for digestion during the day. Thus, it is known that thermogenesis is more pronounced in the morning and minimal in the evening. At the same time, energy consumption for the digestion of protein foods is higher than carbohydrate foods, and is minimal when digesting fats.
Thus, by giving preference to protein foods with a low fat content in the evening meal, you can correct the circadian biorhythm of thermogenesis to some extent.
The ideal time for an evening meal is different for each of us. Experts advise planning dinner no later than 4 hours before bedtime. So, if you and your household go to bed at 10 pm, you can gather everyone at the table at 18.00. If you do not sleep until at least midnight, you can add a portion of energy to the body at 20.00.
In the dark, spent at rest, the body not only rests, but also recovers. The task of dinner is to provide this process with resources.
The ideal dinner consists of proteins and a serving of vegetables. Note that vegetables should have twice the amount of protein, and it is good if half of the vegetables are presented raw on a plate, and the other is cooked in the oven or steamed. It is easy to follow this recommendation, and its health benefits are great.
- Protein menu options: seafood, fish, mushrooms, cottage cheese, eggs, lentils, white cheese, beans.
- Vegetable menu options: green salad, celery, zucchini, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, bell pepper, pumpkin, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado.
Expert comment
The meal schedule depends on the concept of nutrition you choose. There are a great many such concepts today, and each has both its success stories and its own examples of inefficiency. In some cases, the time of eating is strictly regulated and restrictions are introduced - observe intervals of at least 4 hours, do not eat after 18 hours, in some - you can use an intuitive approach - eat at any time products from the permitted assortment. Therefore, first of all, you need to clearly find out the recommendations of the specific nutrition system that you decide to follow.
The effect of losing weight will be more noticeable if, in addition to the diet, you also bring other factors that affect your body into optimal condition - from physical activity to thoughts about yourself, your attractiveness, the complexity or ease of the path to harmony, etc.
It is also useful to master the culture of eating, which does not depend on your diet. The absolute leader in terms of effectiveness on the one hand, and neglect on the other, is ... thorough chewing! However, it is it that gives a reliable feeling of satiety with a small amount of food. Therefore, the following advice can be considered universal: take no a large number of food that you can eat and chew each serving at least 32 times - 1 for each tooth. You will feel full enough to fall asleep.
If your nutrition system does not allow you to eat at night, you can learn simple breathing exercises, relieving cravings to eat. They take less than 1 minute, they can be done in any position of the body (standing, sitting, lying, walking), even unnoticed by other people.
If you ate the right dinner, the likelihood of a return of hunger is low. But if the appetite, nevertheless, returned an hour or two after dinner, do not rush to go to the refrigerator, try to “outsmart” it!
- Drink a glass of cold water.
Usually already this simple action enough to not bother you with the feeling of hunger. Water contains no calories, but the liquid fills the stomach and reduces food cravings. In the warm season, you can add a couple of ice cubes to the glass. There is an opinion that cold water not only helps to suppress appetite, but also helps to build weight, since the body spends additional energy on heating it.
- Pamper your body with herbal tea.
Fragrant herbal tea Based on mint, lemon balm, chamomile and other medicinal plants, it will help you relax and set your body up for sweet dreams. If you are worried about insomnia, drink a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey as an alternative.
Expert comment
Everyone has repeatedly heard that it is impossible to eat at night and at night. Because everything is deposited in the fat depot, and the depot is different for everyone - the stomach, sides, buttocks, and someone even has hands. Everything that you ate at night will be visible in the morning in the form of hidden abs and a lifebuoy, or loose skin on your legs in the form of cellulite. No matter how you “kill” yourself in training, be it the most difficult, you won’t get abs, relief and a slender body by eating carbohydrates or fats at night.
If you want to eat, and you just can’t stop, you need to snack on complex or simple carbohydrates. Fats can be eaten only before lunch, fruits after lunch until 18.00. In the evening you can fiber and protein. Also in the evening you can have a snack with any vegetables, herbs, fish and drink green tea. Remember, the best evening snack is vegetables. A snack should be easily digestible, as our body rests at night.
To avoid night snacks, you need to eat right during the day, then you will avoid eating potatoes and cakes at night. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water not only removes thirst, but also helps to monitor the condition of the skin and the body as a whole.
People who are on a strict diet can break loose sooner or later, so the advice is: eat right during the week, and on Saturday arrange a belly feast for yourself, eat everything you love before 4 pm within a portion of 250 ml-300 ml. And then start re-entering the mode. So it will be easier to diet, and you will not have breakdowns. Watch your diet, because as they say - the press is prepared in the kitchen. All healthy snacks and fruitful workouts!
Time to go to sleep and you still feel empty in your stomach? So, you really can't do without a snack. Without harm to health and figure, choose one of the following options:
- Apple, pear, orange, grapefruit, berries Fresh fruits and berries are among the the best views snacks before bed, they can give the stomach a feeling of satiety, while not significantly increasing daily calories. But they are extremely important to consume in moderation, as they increase blood sugar levels. What this can lead to - we have already said earlier.
- A fresh vegetable salad. Fresh vegetables on the table - the first rule of centenarians. Each person should consume them in sufficient quantities during the season, this contributes to the normalization of the metabolic rate, saturates the body with vitamins. When choosing vegetables for a salad, be guided by your taste preferences, but remember, you can only eat a small portion. Cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, green salad - can become participants in your meal. It is best to fill the dish with lemon juice; it is better to refuse oils before going to bed.
- Natural yogurt, kefir. Quality dairy products do not contain nutritional supplements and sugar, but they are high in calcium, which is essential for healthy nails and strong bones. Yogurt and kefir do not provoke heaviness in the stomach, but satisfy hunger and improve digestion.
- Seafood. A small portion of seafood will not harm a good night's rest, but it will help to saturate the body with nutrients as soon as possible, and pacify the appetite.
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Sometimes it is very difficult to refuse a snack late at night: your stomach growls, sleep does not come, and thoughts are only about how much delicious food is in the refrigerator. But what about the ban on food after 18.00? Fortunately, this rule does not need to be followed 100%. Fasting at night is almost as harmful as going to bed with a full stomach. Therefore, it is better to figure out what you can eat before going to bed without risking ruining your figure and health.
How vegetables behave in the stomach at night
Even those who successfully restrain their indefatigable appetite during the day, hunger can overcome closer to the night. But if in the morning or at lunchtime it’s not so dangerous to allow yourself to eat too much, by the evening the risk of spoiling the figure with high-calorie foods increases several times. Therefore, in order not to suffer from hunger, you need to make a choice in favor of a light and satisfying snack, which the stomach can easily cope with even in the evening. Is it possible to eat vegetables at night in this case? The answer is obvious: yes, and not only as a side dish for meat, but also as an independent dish.
It's no secret that all foods are digested at different rates. For example, in order to assimilate a portion of fresh vegetables - white cabbage, carrot or beetroot salad- the body will need 3 hours, and all this time it will receive useful substances with a minimum of calories. Cookies and sweets are digested faster - about 2-2.5 hours, which means that the feeling of hunger after such a snack will appear earlier, as well as problems with the figure and health. Of course, all organs of the gastrointestinal tract continue to function even at night, including processing the food that came during the evening snack. But they don’t need an extra load, so experts recommend having dinner at least 2.5-3 hours before bedtime so that the stomach can work in a lighter mode at night.
However, vegetables, no matter how healthy and low-calorie they are, should also be consumed in moderation, especially for those who have problems with the digestive system. For example, with colitis, an abundance of fresh herbs in the diet, especially in the evening, can result in bloating and diarrhea, and raw carrot in large quantities is unsafe for patients with gastritis or ulcers during an exacerbation.
Fried, steamed or fresh
It is best, of course, to eat vegetables raw.Having decided to arrange a vegetable snack for the night, you can not only satisfy your hunger without consequences for health and appearance, but also provide the body with an additional set of vitamins and trace elements that are important for its full-fledged work. But for this, vegetables need to be cooked correctly. Of course, The best way preserve all the nutrients, and first of all, fiber - eat them raw. Getting into the stomach without heat treatment, they stimulate the active production of enzymes responsible for the digestion of food, which means that even a late dinner does not threaten heaviness in the stomach the next day. In addition, boiled or fried vegetables, especially in combination with oil, have a higher calorie content, so the risk of seeing an undesirable figure on the scales after such evening snacks increases significantly.
When preparing a salad of fresh vegetables at night, it is important to take care of a suitable dressing: it is better to make a choice in favor of low-fat yogurt, lemon juice or olive oil, but in no case mayonnaise or sauce.
But what about vegetables that are not suitable for fresh salads, such as cauliflower or broccoli? Perfect option- lightly stew, boil or steam. If in this form they categorically do not like their taste, even with spices and herbs, vegetables are allowed to bake in the oven, but only with a minimum amount of vegetable oil. But it is better to refuse fried vegetable dishes altogether. If there are no other options, you can even eat some potatoes at night, but only in a baked form.
Vegetables for diet
Complete refusal of food is not the best way to get rid of extra pounds. With this approach, metabolism slows down, which means that weight will decrease more slowly than in the case of a properly organized diet. And the risk of serious health problems also increases, first of all, disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, full sleep disappears and mood deteriorates. And this is not to mention possible breakdowns: the tougher the diet, the higher the likelihood that a person will not withstand the load and eat much more than they should, because of which the path to the cherished dream - a slender and beautiful body - will become much longer.
The desire to have a snack before going to bed, during the most dangerous hours in terms of weight gain, is the problem of most losing weight. Therefore, eating vegetables at night - the lowest-calorie foods - is a great way out for those who are on a diet.
Benefits for the figure and health will bring:
- Celery. 100 g of the leaves and stems of this vegetable contains only 13 kcal, but there is a lot of water and fiber, so you can quickly and without harm satisfy your hunger with celery before going to bed.
- Cucumber. It can be eaten alone or added to a salad with other vegetables. The main thing is that cucumbers are more than 90% water, which means that their calorie content tends to zero.
- White cabbage. Useful in any form, but at night it is better to use it without heat treatment, preparing a delicious, and most importantly, low-calorie salad.
- Spinach. Rich in vitamins and microelements, has a positive effect on the work of many internal organs, improves well-being, and at the same time contains only 23 kcal per 100 g of product.
- Asparagus. A late dinner with the participation of this vegetable is fraught for the body with a minimum amount of calories received, well-established work digestive system, clean intestines and lower blood sugar levels. And asparagus helps burn fat and cleanse the body of toxins, harmful salts and excess fluid.
- lettuce and arugula. Both vegetables are not only a real storehouse useful substances but also an excellent basis for low calorie salads indispensable for those who want to lose weight. The dishes prepared from them are great for a nighttime snack, on their own or in combination with lean meats.
Herbs (dill, basil, parsley) and spices (curry, ginger, turmeric, etc.) deserve special attention, which will not only help make vegetable dishes tastier, but also contribute to additional calorie burning.
Vegetable assortment
Carrots and broccoli are the healthiest
Of the variety of vegetables for an evening snack, the most suitable are:
- Carrot. It has a positive effect on the functioning of the intestines and promotes its cleansing, thereby healing the entire gastrointestinal tract, strengthens the skeletal system and stimulates the immune system.
- White cabbage and cauliflower, broccoli. They help strengthen the walls of blood vessels, reduce swelling, normalize cholesterol levels and prevent the development of diseases of the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
- Beet. It has a tonic effect, improves digestion, the functioning of the gallbladder and liver.
- Cucumber. Thanks to mild diuretic properties, it relieves edema and removes excess fat from tissues, cleanses the body of toxins, strengthens the immune system and regulates metabolism.
- Pumpkin. In excess it contains pectin, which promotes the excretion of cholesterol from the body, improves the digestion process and alleviates the condition of patients with cholecystitis and chronic colitis.
- lettuce, spinach. They lower the level of cholesterol in the blood, heal the heart and blood vessels, improve digestion, especially with heartburn, gastritis and pancreatitis, and speed up metabolism. In addition, leaf lettuce contains a large amount of magnesium, which strengthens the nervous system and helps to block nerve pathogens, helping to cope with insomnia.
But it is better to refuse tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, zucchini and eggplants in the evening.
Vegetable juices, purchased or prepared on their own, are also useful, for example, carrot or tomato juice - they quickly cope with an untimely feeling of hunger without a feeling of heaviness in the stomach and extra calories.
In addition, vegetables can be eaten at night not only as an independent dish, but also combined with other products suitable for a late-night snack. For example, with seafood, steamed low-fat fish or boiled dietary meat. There will be no harm from this for health, and the body will receive all the nutrients necessary for normal work and good rest.
Hunger does not depend on the time of day and can sometimes overtake late in the evening. Instead of going to bed, we go to the refrigerator. Ice cream or chips can fill you up and bring pleasure, and in the morning there is a feeling of guilt for eating at night. But that doesn't mean you have to starve, nutritionists say. interviewed by HuffPost.
A number of scientists agree that the deposition of fat is affected not only, but also the time of day, although this theory has not yet been fully explored.
According to New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Jonathan Valdez, the last meal should be a couple of hours before bedtime so that the food has time to be digested. Night is the time when the body slows down the metabolism, and this is the main reason why you should choose a light meal in the evening. And it's not just about the possible deposition of fat. If the body does not have time to digest food before you go to bed, it will negatively affect sleep.
Feeling hungry late at night can be a signal that you're not eating well enough during the day, says nutritionist Amy Gorin. She advises eating or snacking every 3-5 hours and being mindful of breakfast. It should be high in calories, with enough fiber and protein. You need to make sure that other meals are also balanced and give the body enough fuel. Gorin believes that snacks should not be neglected, because they are suitable for quick snacks at work and help not to overeat at a subsequent full meal. The main thing is to snack when you really want to eat.
Nutritionist Alice Ramsey insists that if you feel hungry, you should definitely eat - no matter what time of day. At the same time, she notes that the desire to eat something late in the evening does not always come from our stomach. Often a nighttime snack is the body's reaction to stress, emotional experiences, a habit, or even boredom. Ramsey calls for a conscious approach to nutrition and every time to ask the question: is it really physical hunger?
At the same time, experts note that recognizing hunger resulting from an emotional outburst and coping with it is difficult, but important. Gorin advises in this case to replace the snack with a walk or a light workout. According to Ramsey, it is imperative to work with "emotional" hunger and try to eliminate the cause of stress. Or at least try to switch from food to something that can cheer you up, like watching a comedy.
Nutritionist Rebecca Ditkoff suggests fighting non-physical hunger with a special drink: add turmeric and cinnamon to herbal tea or almond milk. If the body really needs a late-night snack, the expert advises using protein foods for this, such as half a glass of Greek yogurt combined with healthy fats (1/4 cup nuts or a quarter of an avocado) and smart carbohydrates (high-fiber whole grains ).
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You should pay special attention to carbohydrates, because they contribute to the production of insulin, which, in turn, helps tryptophan increase the level of melatonin in the brain. This leads to fast falling asleep and sound sleep. The combination of carbs and protein helps lower hunger-causing hormones, keeping your body full until you wake up, Ramsey says.
Valdes believes that the main component for satisfying hunger is protein. When you're craving something sweet, you can mix natural yogurt with peanut butter or apple slices. The list of healthy snacks, according to the doctor, also includes nut mixes, cheese sticks, meat and fish chips, and a glass of warm milk.
Ramsey also recommends snacking on nut mix, and suggests making it yourself. Dried fruits (a source of carbohydrates and natural sugar) and pistachios (rich in protein and fiber) are best suited for this. The nutritionist recommends avoiding caffeinated foods before bed: tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, and chocolate.
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As a snack, experts suggest using bread with a teaspoon or a tablespoon of nut butter. For a quick snack, natural or grainy cottage cheese is also suitable. Before bed, you can eat cherries (contains melatonin), almonds, cashews and pecans (high amounts of magnesium help to relax the body), says Ditkoff. She also recommends avoiding caffeine and not eating spicy and fatty foods at night, which can lead to stomach upset and ruin sleep.
Nutritionists warn that eating at night should be done with caution. This advice applies to all meals, but in the evening we often eat while watching TV, in which case the attention is focused on the screen, not on the body. If you do not listen to your body, then you can overeat, which will lead not only to overweight but also to sleep disturbance. So in the evening we must be especially attentive to what we eat, and be sure to monitor the size of portions.