One of the main meals of the day is the evening meal. Ignoring it or replacing it with unhealthy foods is not a good idea. Though it’s true that it should be lighter than other meals, its consumption is key to many processes that support the body during a time of rest.
Nutrients obtained by your body at the time of the day affects your digestion, quality of sleep, and physical and mental energy of the following day.
As many people don’t know how to choose the correct foods, there is an overload in the body that can cause negative issues.
What you eat before going to bed can cause various metabolic and digestive consequences. That’s why it’s best to know what are the foods that are not the best options to eat at night.
Find out what they are!
Red Meat And Processed Meat
Regardless of the time of day, consumption of red and processed meat should be limited. It has a high content of saturated fat and added chemicals, which don’t make them a good choice for a healthy diet.
Proteins in red meat make digestion difficult and can cause sleep problems. Meanwhile, its high-calorie content slows down metabolism and can cause obesity.
Spicy Condiments
Spices and salsas are better to use in meals other than dinner. Spicy foods increase the tendency to suffer acid-reflux and digestive issues and can cause irritation of the mucous membrane. Eating them before bedtime can cause stomach pain, acid reflux, and abdominal burning.
Ice Cream
This food is full of sugar, added ingredients, and saturated fats that can affect weight and quality of sleep. Even if it is satisfying and delicious, eating an ice cream at this time affects digestion, thereby resulting to abdominal bloating and stimulation of the nervous system. Furthermore, it produces acid reflux and elevates glucose levels, which interferes with rest.
Cheese
Cheese, before bedtime, should be avoided at all cost, as it may cause heaviness in the stomach and problems in sleeping.
Present in cheese is tyramine, which is an amino acid, that can decrease the production of hormones that regulate sleep. Also, its fat content is heavy for the body to digest, thus can create an inflammatory reaction in the stomach.
Pasta
Pasta is an important resource of carbohydrates. However, it’s ideal for active times of day, like consuming it for lunch. When consumed in the evening, pasta can cause an uncomfortable heavy feeling that can impede being about to rest. At the same time, it can affect metabolism and weight because of the amounts of calories.
Cauliflower
In spite of being a healthy food low in calories, cauliflower should not be consumed at this time as it has some properties that can produce gas. Eating it before sleeping makes the digestive process difficult. This is because it has a significant content of fats and calories. It also stimulates the nervous system and maintains the brain to remain active which results in difficulty in sleeping and episodes of insomnia.
It’s best to eat light meals, low in calories to avoid digestive problems and difficulties in getting rest. The key to well-being is eating a balanced and healthy diet at this time of day.
