What not to eat at night. Top 7 most unhealthy snacks

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Proper nutrition must be followed at all times. However, dinner before bed has the greatest impact on people's health and overall well-being. This is not the main meal, so the body does not need extra stress...

Every person tries to keep himself in good physical shape. To do this, he has to go on diets, actively work out in gyms, and adhere to proper nutrition. If everything is clear with breakfast and lunch, then you need to figure out what’s going on with dinner. It’s not just people who are losing weight who shouldn’t eat before bed. For the average person, there is also a health risk after an evening meal.

Why you shouldn't snack on chocolate in the evening

Chocolate seems like the perfect late night snack. It is not voluminous, it will not take long for the body to digest it, but it will give a surge of energy and bring pleasant emotions. And for many people, emotional stability may decrease just in the evening.

But this can make you overly excited. And sugar, which is present in many types of sweet chocolate, is not what your body needs before bed.

In general, sometimes you want to try sweets because you lack energy. BUT this may mean that you're not so much exhausted from working hard as you haven't been eating right all day. Or you have started to have some endocrine problems, which you should definitely consult with your doctor about.

And instead of chocolate, a jog, a massage, an interesting movie or making love can give you pleasant emotions.

Why do you want to eat late at night?

The main reason here is stress. “It triggers a whole cascade of pathological reactions that disrupt the nervous and hormonal regulation of processes in the body,” says Mikhail Gavrilov. — Hormones responsible for appetite and eating behavior, mood, metabolism and biorhythms “fly”. First of all, the synthesis of cortisol and insulin is disrupted, which in turn leads to a decrease in serotonin levels and an imbalance of dopamine. The ratio of the hormones ghrelin and leptin changes. The first is produced in the walls of the stomach and is responsible for stimulating appetite, the second is produced in adipose tissue and is responsible for suppressing it. All this, in turn, makes it difficult to fall asleep normally. Hormones and neurotransmitters, the activity of which should decrease, “boil” and force you to eat. In the long term, this leads to disruption of circadian rhythms. A person falls into a trap: there is no proper sleep and there is a tendency to overeat late in the evening and at night.” Ultimately, this can form night eating syndrome, which was described back in 1955. According to our expert, this syndrome is closely related to disorders of neurotransmitter metabolism and therefore often manifests itself with symptoms similar to anxiety-depressive conditions, which can develop into severe forms of psycho-emotional disorders. The presence of such symptoms is a reason to consult a specialist.

Leisure at home in front of the TV screen or computer monitor also encourages late snacks. At the same time, as a rule, we reach not for vegetable sticks or chicken fillet, but for potato chips, cookies and sausage sandwiches. A poorly organized daily routine, when we go to bed after midnight, also does not contribute to an optimal eating routine.

We have already talked about how to cope with the desire to eat late in the evening and at night.

Why you shouldn't eat apples at night

People think that fruit is the easiest thing to indulge in at night. Yes, it's better than flour or chocolate, because fructose is still better than sugar in baked goods. However, apples can heavily load the small intestines and pancreas, which will work almost all night.

This means you need to make a choice in favor of other fruits, for example, kiwi, tangerine or orange. These fruits contain not only fructose. But fiber also makes the intestines work less. Just don't indulge in starchy fruits like bananas.

What are the benefits of eating avocado at night?

Avocado is a fruit containing unsaturated fats. By consuming it in small quantities and combining it with the right foods, rapid weight loss is possible. However, in the evening it acts in the opposite way, helping to accumulate excess weight. Avocado also helps prevent constipation; in large quantities it can cause diarrhea.

Is it possible to eat before bed?

There is an opinion that you should not eat before going to bed under any circumstances and that everything you eat will certainly be deposited as a layer of fat on your sides. But a snack before bed is necessary if the body requires it.

American scientists conducted an experiment involving two groups of people, the results of which were very contradictory to popular opinion. The first group did not have dinner after 18:00, the second ate small meals (dinner was light, low-calorie, 2 hours before bedtime).

The results showed that people without dinner in the morning are very hungry and prone to overeating (moreover, blood sugar levels drop, and cravings for sweets and fatty foods arise). And the group with dinner has equal sugar levels and no severe hunger. At the same time, participants feel better both physically and mentally. And this, of course, is the key to a successful diet without breakdowns.

But all scientists agree on one thing: if it was not possible to eat normally during the day, in the evening, naturally, a feeling of hunger will arise. To cope with it and not gain extra pounds, you need to adhere to certain rules and choose the right foods before bed.

Evening snack features:

1. It is better to avoid high carbohydrate and fatty foods. Carbohydrates and fats take a long time to digest, and if you go to bed too early after eating such food, it will certainly be deposited in fat on your sides.
2. Most people who are losing weight continue to adhere to the rule of not eating after 6 p.m., but nutritionists have long dispelled the myth about the benefits of such a ban. Dinner can be arranged 4 hours before bedtime, and a snack 1-2 hours before bedtime.
3. Even if you had dinner too late, it is better to wait a little and not go to bed. Firstly, the digestion process will interfere with normal sleep, and secondly, all processes slow down during sleep.
4. The calorie content of dinner should be lower than all other meals.
5. It is better to refuse a late snack, but if this is not possible, its energy value should be equal to a glass of kefir.
6. After an evening snack, you should not lie down or sit, you need minimal physical activity - a walk around the apartment or the street will do you good.
7. Dinner should be protein and low-fat.
8. The correct cooking method is an important detail. It is better to choose boiled or stewed foods before bed.
9. A serving should not exceed 250-300 grams.

What should you not eat before bed?

It is very important to take into account not only the permitted foods, but also those that are prohibited for consumption at night, so that fat folds do not appear on the sides, and extra pounds do not appear on the scales.

What not to do before bed:

• Fast food . Such products should be excluded from any diet. They are very high in calories, and satiation does not last long. But the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is guaranteed to be disrupted, extra pounds and health problems will appear.
• Pasta and bakery products . These are foods that should not be eaten before bed, as they take a long time to digest, which means the body will turn them into fat.
• Sweets . These include candies, chocolate, cakes, pastries, ice cream (fruit ice cream should also not be consumed for dinner), candy bars and artificial sweeteners. They have the lowest satiety and high calorie content. Sweets are foods with a high glycemic index, which means that the body will not be able to quickly cope with the released glucose and will store some of it as fat. After consuming them, the appetite returns quickly and is even more pronounced. In addition, caries will be an unpleasant bonus to fatty sides.
• Soups . At first glance, it seems that a light soup for dinner is the best option. It will not harm the figure, but stimulates an increase in appetite. After a short period of time, your appetite will return even stronger than before eating the soup. In addition, it is difficult to get enough of a small portion of the first course, and the larger the portion, the more distended the stomach in the end.
• Cereals . Very useful and necessary for the body, but not before bedtime. They have a high calorie content and show a huge glycemic load. Porridge should be consumed before lunch (or for lunch).
• Starchy vegetables . Although you can eat vegetables for dinner, you should avoid starchy ones. Starch slows down metabolism. Also, starchy vegetables are dominated by fast carbohydrates, which are stored in fat.
• Fat meat . This includes pork, lamb, duck and others. Difficult to digest. The body may not be able to cope with foods that cannot be eaten before bed, and store some of it in the fatty sides.
• Salty dishes . Dinner should not be salted during preparation. Excess salt at night can cause fluid retention and swelling. The result is extra pounds on the scale and decreased motivation to lose weight.
• Smoked meats . They contain a lot of salt, which subsequently causes a feeling of thirst. And thirst is often confused with hunger, and the risk of breaking out and overeating instantly increases.
• Fried . During frying, the calorie content of foods increases noticeably, and all the beneficial properties contained in them are lost.
• Spicy dishes . The more pronounced the taste of the dish, the greater the appetite. Therefore, it is better to avoid spices when preparing dinner. You want to eat spicy dishes and wash them down, which is not at all good for the evening.
• Canned and pickled vegetables . The content of sugar and vinegar in foods has a negative effect and provokes an increase in appetite; in addition, an increased amount of salt can provoke increased thirst and swelling.
• Sweet fruits . These include mangoes, bananas, persimmons and grapes.
• Soy sauce . Many people mistakenly believe that salt can be replaced with soy sauce. It also contains a lot of salt, which will have a negative effect on a losing weight.
• Seeds . They have a very high calorie content. And it’s hard to stop with a small handful. Provoke thirst and appetite.
• Alcoholic drinks . Nutritionists allow you to sometimes treat yourself to a glass of dry wine during your diet, but you should not do this before bed. Alcohol can arouse appetite, and accordingly the risk of relapse increases. Strong drinks are high in calories. In addition, drinking alcohol in the evening has a bad effect on your overall well-being. The result: dry mouth, dark circles under the eyes and decreased performance throughout the day.
• Coffee . Another drink you shouldn't drink before bed. Similar to alcohol, it increases appetite. In addition, the high caffeine content will prevent you from falling asleep on time, and this is another chance to have an extra snack before bed.
• Carbonated drinks . They cause flatulence in the stomach, which is not conducive to good sleep, and also contain a huge amount of sugar.

Author:
Alla Fedorchenko Practicing endocrinologist-nutritionist on issues of health and youth, diabetes, thyroid gland, obesity, weight loss and slimness.

Comments: 0 | Section: Diets and weight loss

Is it possible to eat before bed? Which products are allowed and which ones should be avoided?

Not eating before bed is an important rule in almost every diet plan. This ban is based on the fact that all food eaten at night will turn into fat. In fact, there are inaccuracies in the rule. Read more about whether you should include dinner in your diet, what foods are suitable for this, and which ones you should avoid.

Is it possible to eat before bed?

There is an opinion that you should not eat before going to bed under any circumstances and that everything you eat will certainly be deposited as a layer of fat on your sides. But a snack before bed is necessary if the body requires it.

American scientists conducted an experiment involving two groups of people, the results of which were very contradictory to popular opinion. The first group did not have dinner after 18:00, the second ate small meals (dinner was light, low-calorie, 2 hours before bedtime).

The results showed that people without dinner in the morning are very hungry and prone to overeating (moreover, blood sugar levels drop, and cravings for sweets and fatty foods arise). And the group with dinner has equal sugar levels and no severe hunger. At the same time, participants feel better both physically and mentally. And this, of course, is the key to a successful diet without breakdowns.

But all scientists agree on one thing: if it was not possible to eat normally during the day, in the evening, naturally, a feeling of hunger will arise. To cope with it and not gain extra pounds, you need to adhere to certain rules and choose the right foods before bed.

Evening snack features:

1. It is better to avoid high carbohydrate and fatty foods. Carbohydrates and fats take a long time to digest, and if you go to bed too early after eating such food, it will certainly be deposited in fat on your sides.
2. Most people who are losing weight continue to adhere to the rule of not eating after 6 p.m., but nutritionists have long dispelled the myth about the benefits of such a ban. Dinner can be arranged 4 hours before bedtime, and a snack 1-2 hours before bedtime.
3. Even if you had dinner too late, it is better to wait a little and not go to bed. Firstly, the digestion process will interfere with normal sleep, and secondly, all processes slow down during sleep.
4. The calorie content of dinner should be lower than all other meals.
5. It is better to refuse a late snack, but if this is not possible, its energy value should be equal to a glass of kefir.
6. After an evening snack, you should not lie down or sit, you need minimal physical activity - a walk around the apartment or the street will do you good.
7. Dinner should be protein and low-fat.
8. The correct cooking method is an important detail. It is better to choose boiled or stewed foods before bed.
9. A serving should not exceed 250-300 grams.