Healthy snack before bed: is it possible to eat oranges at night?
If you plan your evening meal correctly and use dietary products to prepare it, you will set your body up to actively burn fat and in this way successfully get rid of extra centimeters on your waist and hips.
However, before going to bed, you should not overload your stomach and consume high-calorie foods, so the evening menu should contain food containing a minimum of fats and carbohydrates. Is orange included in the list of foods allowed at night, and can you lose weight in the evening? You will find detailed answers to these questions in our article.
Is it possible to eat oranges at night?
Nutritionists allow citrus fruits to be consumed in the evening. They contain practically no fats and carbohydrates, have low calorie content, but are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
This chemical composition allows you to get the maximum benefit from dinner and not gain extra pounds. Oranges have a beneficial effect on metabolism, improve digestion, stimulate intestinal motility, which promotes weight loss.
When answering the question whether it is possible to eat oranges at night, it is worth considering that the break between the evening and morning meals should be at least 10 hours, and between the last meal and sleep - at least 3 hours . During this time, the food will have time to be absorbed and completely digested, thereby ensuring a healthy and restful sleep. It is quite possible to have an orange snack at 8 and 9 pm, provided that the person falls asleep closer to midnight.
The benefits or harms of eating an orange before bed partly depend on the state of the digestive system and the presence of possible contraindications.
To a healthy person
Eating oranges at night within the normal range, in the absence of contraindications, will not cause harm to health. They can be used to satisfy hunger in the evening, fresh or in the form of juice, fresh juice, or smoothie.
For gastrointestinal diseases
People with diseases of the digestive system are generally recommended to limit citrus fruits in their diet. Oranges contain acids that irritate the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, increase pain, and can cause increased gas formation, bloating, and colic.
Oranges before bed are contraindicated for people with stomach and intestinal diseases such as:
What is the best time to eat oranges?
Oranges are the perfect snack.
- Firstly, they are quite easy to carry with you - no additional containers or other utensils are needed.
- Secondly, they have a low calorie content, but due to the dietary fiber included in the composition, the feeling of fullness will remain with you for a relatively long time. It will take about half an hour to digest, but you will not feel heavy in the stomach or drowsiness.
The benefits and harms of oranges
Nutritionists recommend eating this fruit in the morning, as it has a slight invigorating effect and replenishes the lack of vitamin C. Is it possible to have an orange in the evening when losing weight? Yes, but with some reservations.
- This should not be a very late meal.
- You should eat no more than one orange.
- And at least half an hour must have passed since the previous meal.
Only under these conditions will the fruit benefit your body and help you lose weight.
As you can see, you can eat oranges at almost any time of the day. But it is necessary to take into account contraindications and think about what and when enters your stomach.
Is it possible to eat oranges at night when losing weight?
A person who is controlling weight or trying to lose weight can have an orange before bed. Eating a low-calorie product has a beneficial effect on health and overall well-being.
A few slices of orange quickly and for a long time provide a feeling of satiety, which will help you refrain from consuming unhealthy foods at night. The orange fiber swells under the influence of gastric juice, fills the space in the intestines, and the person will no longer experience the feeling of hunger.
Dietary fiber from oranges contributes to weight loss to some extent:
Oranges contain increased amounts of folic acid, potassium, and magnesium, which regulate all types of metabolism in the body. Vitamin E in combination with retinol and zinc suppresses appetite, improves skin condition, reduces the appearance of cellulite, and relieves the body of edema.
Orange is valued for weight loss due to the presence of B vitamins. They stimulate the production of hormones responsible for the breakdown of fats, reduce the concentration of cholesterol and sugar in the blood, and support the health of the thyroid gland, dysfunction of which contributes to obesity.
For reference. B vitamins have a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, increase resistance to stress, ensure a good mood, normalize night sleep, which in turn allows you not to overeat and get rid of the need to “eat stress.”
Orange contains high doses of vitamin C, which is important for the natural reduction of fatty tissue in the body. Ascorbic acid removes excess cholesterol and sugar, normalizes lipid metabolism, strengthens the immune system, regulates oxidation-reduction reactions, stimulates the secretion of bile, and restores the functions of the pancreas and thyroid gland.
Calorie content and BZHU
The calorie content of orange fruit is 40 kcal, and the protein/fat/carbohydrate content is 0.9 g/0.2 g/8.1 g.
Depending on the variety, weather and climatic conditions of growth, and the degree of ripeness of the fruit, oranges have different chemical compositions.
On average, 100 g of edible part contains:
Calorie content
These fruits are very low in calories, like most citrus fruits. Per 100 grams of product the calorie content is 40 kcal. And the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is 0.9/0.2/8.1.
However, depending on the growth of the fruit and its ripeness, these indicators may vary slightly. Thus, hudeem-bez-problemru says that sweeter oranges have a slightly higher calorie content.
But not so long ago, scientists made an interesting discovery. It turns out that not all varieties of oranges are equally beneficial for weight loss. But the Sicilian orange copes best with excess fat. It is distinguished by the fact that it has red flesh and pronounced carcinogenic properties. It is this variety that allows you to quickly cleanse the body of toxins, improve metabolic processes and reduce the likelihood of cancer cells appearing.
Before eating oranges for weight loss, consult with specialists
Benefits and harms
Orange has a rich vitamin and mineral composition, which is why it has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole, supports the functioning and health of organs and systems, and prevents various painful conditions.
Beneficial properties of orange:
Regular consumption of citrus has a positive effect on the health of the cardiovascular system. As a result, the walls and blood vessels become stronger and more elastic, blood circulation and lymph flow improve, and the concentration of cholesterol in the blood decreases, which serves as a good prevention of atherosclerosis. Orange also regulates neuromuscular transmission, stabilizes high blood pressure to normal levels, and minimizes the risk of ischemia and myocardial infarction.
Orange is of particular importance for men. This is a powerful aphrodisiac that enhances sexual desire, activity, and attractiveness in the opposite sex. B vitamins together with retinol activate blood circulation in the pelvic organs and prevent congestion. Zinc and selenium stimulate testosterone production. This is the main male sex hormone responsible for sexual health and libido, the formation and development of bone and muscle tissue.
Citrus is no less useful for the female body. It supports the functions of the reproductive system, slows down the onset of menopause, facilitates menopause, and stabilizes hormonal levels.
For children and adolescents, the elderly, nursing and pregnant women, orange is recommended as an additional source of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, organic acids, essential oils, phytoncides, which ensure the active functioning of the body and good health.
What are the benefits of oranges?
These citrus fruits have many beneficial effects that they can have on the human body. The main advantages of eating oranges include the following:
- Low calorie content - about 40 kcal/100 g.
- Orange is a real storehouse of various vitamins: C, A, D, P and group B. In addition, the mineral composition of this fruit is unusually rich and contains such valuable components as magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, etc.
- Separately, it should be noted the high content of vitamin ascorbic acid and bioflavonoids, which help prevent the formation of waste and toxins.
- The substances that make up citrus take an active part in strengthening the walls of blood vessels and in the processes of burning fat.
- The high proportion of fiber and dietary fiber in oranges contribute to the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract, increasing the speed of food movement along the tract. The functioning of the digestive system also improves, since oranges prevent rotting processes in the intestines.
- Stimulates the functioning of the central nervous system.
- Helps cleanse the blood, accelerate blood circulation processes, thanks to blood thinning. Due to this, nutrition of internal organs and cells is achieved.
- Oranges have a beneficial effect on the immune system, increase its strength and reduce the threat of viral and infectious diseases.
- The antioxidants contained in oranges prevent the negative effects of free radicals on the skin. This allows you to slow down the aging process.
- These citrus fruits are able to provide the body with energy, providing a tonic effect.
what you can and cannot eat before bed
When is the best time to eat
Orange is the perfect snack. It is also used as a supplement or dessert to the main meal. When you eat only citrus fruits at once, its pulp is completely digested in 30 minutes, without overloading the stomach. Therefore, you can eat oranges at any time of the day, most importantly no later than 2 hours before bedtime and within normal limits.
In what quantity
The average consumption rate with health benefits and without the absence of undesirable effects from the gastrointestinal tract is one or two medium oranges in the morning (not on an empty stomach) and during the day, and no more than 2-4 slices in the evening, provided that the digestive organs are healthy.
Such restrictions are associated with the presence of sugar (no more than 16% of the total mass) and carbohydrates (8.1 g per 100 g), which are undesirable to consume before bed, especially for those who are watching their figure.
In any form
Oranges are eaten fresh, added to fruit and vegetable salads, baked goods, and served with meat dishes. Juice, smoothies, and cocktails are prepared from the pulp. If you intend to drink juice, you must first dilute it with water or any other vegetable/fruit juice in equal proportions.
For reference. The remaining zest can be used in everyday life to neutralize unpleasant odors, in cooking as a spice, in folk medicine for preparing medicinal decoctions, infusions for vitamin deficiency, heart and vascular diseases, and metabolic disorders.
What to combine with
Orange goes well with almost all fruits (pineapple, cherries, grapes, bananas, kiwis, strawberries, persimmons) and berries (strawberries, red and black currants, raspberries). Pulp and zest are added to improve taste and piquancy in meat dishes, poultry, confectionery, and baked goods.
You can combine citrus fruits with other products:
What can you combine citrus fruits with? There are no strict restrictions here. It all depends on gastronomic preferences, culinary abilities and imagination.
Eating oranges before bed
The fruits of this citrus have many beneficial properties and an unusually valuable composition for the body. But is it worth eating fruit if you feel hungry before going to bed?
Although the product is low in calories, it is high in carbohydrates and sugars, making it a bad idea for a late-night snack.
It is optimal to eat an orange half an hour after the main meal. And to satisfy the feeling of hunger that strikes before bed, it is better to prefer a glass of green tea or light kefir. This will not harm the figure, but on the contrary, it will be beneficial.
However, if the feeling of hunger persists and eating before bed is inevitable, orange will be a good option to remove it. And it’s definitely worth choosing it over some heavy food like sandwiches.
It is important to remember the ability of an orange to stimulate appetite, and if you cannot fall asleep an hour after a snack, hunger will return with renewed vigor.
To summarize, it should be noted that eating food before bed is fraught with adverse consequences for the body. In cases where such a meal is forced and it is not possible to satisfy hunger with drinks, drinking an orange is allowed. The fruit only needs 30 minutes to be absorbed by the body, so this snack will be gentle. But you shouldn’t get carried away, and you should follow moderation, because oranges are rich in carbohydrates.
orange peels - health benefits and harms
Is it possible to lose weight on oranges?
You can lose weight with oranges, since the fruit consists mainly of water with dissolved fiber (dietary fiber). In the stomach they swell and fill it, resulting in a feeling of fullness that lasts more than an hour. Fiber removes half-life products, toxins and other harmful substances (including salts of heavy metals).
The calorie content of an orange is low - it depends on the variety and form of the product (data per 100 g):
Nutritional value per 100 g:
Fruits have virtually no fat and not many carbohydrates. And if you replace dinner or lunch with fruit, such a meal will create a calorie deficit, but will give you a feeling of fullness. Therefore, the fruits can be used for weight loss.
When consumed regularly, oranges prevent the deposition of fats as they promote their absorption. In cooking, it is customary to add pulp or orange juice to fatty dishes to reduce the overall calorie content. In Afghanistan, the drink is even used as a dishwashing detergent, and in Jamaica it is used to remove traces of oil.
Citrus fruits saturate the body for a long time, which helps with weight loss
Can oranges make you fat?
It is important to understand that you can also gain weight from oranges. This is a sweet fruit that contains up to 12 g of carbohydrates (mainly sucrose). This is simple sugar that quickly breaks down and provokes a surge in the hormone insulin. It stores the nutrients it receives, forming fat deposits. Therefore, combining fruits with the main meal (meat, side dish) is extremely undesirable. You can get better from oranges in several cases:
Therefore, you should not consider orange as the only or main means for losing weight. This is an additional product that satisfies well, and it should be used instead of the main meal. Fruits are also suitable for a snack (2-3 hours after eating).
Is it possible to eat oranges at night when losing weight?
Oranges can be eaten in the evening instead of dinner. Moreover, this should be done three or more hours before bedtime. During this time, the body will have time to digest the pulp and become full, which will dull the feeling of hunger. However, it is important to remember that oranges eaten at night will inevitably make you gain weight. The following processes occur in the body:
Citrus pulp gives a feeling of fullness and has a number of other beneficial properties.
Eating 1-2 oranges at night (but no later than three hours before bed) will not lead to weight gain.
When is the best time to eat oranges?
For weight loss, both the fruits themselves and natural orange juice are used. It is best to use them as an independent dish, separate from the main meal. It is also important to take into account the daily intake rate - exceeding it will not help you lose weight, but will contribute to weight gain. The time of administration can be any, but no later than three hours before bedtime.
In what quantity
The daily norm for an adult is 1–2 fruits per day. Sometimes these fruits are used for fasting days, when you can eat 5-6 pieces. You should not overuse oranges for weight loss, since the acid they contain can lead to gastritis and other diseases of the digestive system. Therefore, the best option is to eat 1-2 pieces instead of dinner and create a calorie deficit.
Harm and possible contraindications
Despite such an impressive list of valuable properties of orange, this fruit can also cause harm under certain conditions. The product has the following contraindications for use:
- Use is not allowed for stomach ulcers and gastritis with high acidity due to the large amount of acids contained in oranges. You should also not eat the fruit if you have an intestinal disorder, since the composition is rich in sugars.
- People with high blood pressure should not use the product.
- In addition, it is not recommended to overuse oranges to avoid the risk of developing diabetes. And after use, you should rinse your mouth, this will avoid damage to tooth enamel. Consuming on an empty stomach may cause stomach ulcers.
Is it possible to eat grapefruit at night?
Orange diet for weight loss for a week
There are several types of diets based on this fruit. For example, the orange diet for losing 10 kg is based on a special menu. During the day (breakfast and lunch) consume:
2-3 times a week, these products can be completely or partially replaced with baked fish (200 g), tomatoes, green salad leaves and low-fat cottage cheese (150 g).
The following dishes are prepared for dinner (by day):
Take one fruit, five green tea bags and several fresh mint leaves. Infuse tea in hot water (10–15 minutes), add orange slices (or get freshly squeezed juice with pulp) and mint. In summer, it is recommended to cool and use as a refreshing drink.
Recipes with oranges for losing weight
It is not necessary to eat fresh oranges throughout the day. Diversify your menu with dishes that include it.
Recipes:
- Fruit salad. Take one orange, banana and apple, peel and cut into cubes. Add one pomegranate grain to them, mix, pour in kefir, let it brew for an hour.
- Chicken breast in oranges. Squeeze the juice of one orange, add a pinch of salt, cilantro and dill to it, marinate 200 g of chicken breast in the resulting sauce for 30 minutes. After the fillet, place in a baking bag, add slices of one orange there and bake for 30-35 minutes at 180°C until cooked.
- Salad "Joy" . Peel one orange, divide into slices and cut them in half. Boil the carrots, peel the apple, cut everything into cubes, add to the orange. Pour natural yoghurt and stir.
The importance of restoring microflora
Normal intestinal microflora is a balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria that inhabit the human intestine. If harmful ones predominate, and beneficial ones are in the minority, this condition is called microflora imbalance and requires correction. This is what gastroenterologists do.
They recommend taking a stool test for dysbacteriosis and bacterial culture in case of noticeable disturbances in the intestines (bloating, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, pain, etc.).
Based on the test results, appropriate treatment is prescribed, after which the microflora is normalized and the person’s well-being improves. Normal intestinal microflora is important for the production of essential vitamins, strengthening the immune system and protecting against various diseases.
Various factors can worsen the condition of the intestinal microflora, these are:
taking antibiotics and NSAIDs;
passion for the Western diet (with the presence of fast foods);
lack of fiber in the diet;
taking painkillers;
treatment with proton pump inhibitors;
use of H2-histamine receptor blockers.
Some doctors believe that the intestinal environment does not need to be sterile. But harmful bacteria should make up no more than 15 percent of the total microflora. Only then will the imbalance persist.
Microflora can change depending on a person’s age, mood, well-being, climate, and season.
Microflora disturbances can cause the following diseases:
That is why we must take care of the state of the intestinal microflora. Let's look at some useful tips on this matter.
Choosing the right citrus fruits
Citrus fruits are healthy and tasty fruits that are certainly included in the diet of those losing weight.
Collecting, storing and transporting products is a long and labor-intensive process, so it is very difficult to buy a fresh, high-quality, natural product on the store counter. Fruits spoil on the road, are stored incorrectly, and nitrates and other chemical additives are added to them to preserve their presentation. To get a good product, you need to learn how to choose the right citrus fruits. Criterias of choice:
- Color. The peel of citrus fruits should have a uniform color. The color is bright and rich. This indicates the ripeness of the product.
- Porosity indicates that the fruit has a thick skin. This does not affect the taste, but it must be taken into account if you need a specific amount of peeled fruit. The advantage of porous fruit is that it is easy to clean.
- Evaluate the product by touch. Citrus fruits are firm and have no soft or spongy areas.
- The smell of the product is pleasant and feels good.
- Sweet fruits are always heavier than unripe ones, so evaluate several citrus fruits of the same size and choose the heavier one.
- Look at the fetal navel. If it is pronounced, the product is juicy and ripe.
- If you need citrus fruits to eat raw, choose ones with thicker peels. Thin-skinned fruits are suitable for making juices.
- Inspect the skin for spots, damage, etc. This indicates improper storage. Mold and other pests are often hidden beneath the stains.
How to restore microflora
Complete diet
A person should eat a variety of foods per day, and not meager ones, consisting mainly of carbohydrates and fats. This is how most people eat, snacking, for lack of time, on fast foods, rolls, etc.. It is necessary to include fiber in the diet every day.
Orthodox fasting is useful for normalizing microflora. It has been observed that those who observe fasts suffer less from intestinal diseases, even cancer. Fasting excludes animal fats (meat, butter, eggs) and focuses on fresh vegetables and fruits, berries, and cereals.
It is known that inulin, which has a prebiotic effect, is found in the following products:
These products help improve intestinal microflora and defeat harmful bacteria. They must be included in your diet if you have intestinal problems.
Sources of bifidobacteria beneficial to humans are:
They must be present on the table as often as possible.
Fermentation of products
It is useful to eat fermented ones, i.e. fermented products. As a result of the fermentation process, simple products become fantastically healthy because they change their composition thanks to bacteria. They help restore intestinal microflora.
The most common fermented products:
It is customary for some peoples to ferment vegetables, even spicy ones. This dish of pickled spicy vegetables is called kimchi. Fermented soybeans are called tempeh.
Fermented dairy products contain lactobacilli, which are so necessary for normal microflora. People suffering from kidney disease simply need them, because... With such diseases, the microflora is disrupted.
Sugar substitutes (aspartame, saccharin) are harmful products. They have a destructive effect on the intestinal microflora. In addition, they increase blood glucose levels. Therefore, they must be excluded from the diet.
More prebiotics
Prebiotics contain beneficial bacteria that help evict harmful ones from the human intestines. They are found in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains. They should be eaten as often as possible. They also lower the level of triglycerides, cholesterol, and insulin in the body. This means that prebiotics reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, death from heart attack, and stroke.
Whole grains
The benefit of whole grains is that they contain fiber and indigestible carbohydrates, which are not absorbed in the small intestine, but enter the large intestine. There they break down and cause the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Whole grains contain:
They are sold whole and are also used to make whole grain bread. They are also used to make whole wheat flour.