Is it even worth eating at night?
When you go to sleep, your body does not completely shut down with you, but continues to function. And the task of dinner is to provide all the processes occurring within you with resources. Attention – resources, but not their excess!
The gastrointestinal tract also does not “sleep” at night, so there is nothing dangerous for the body in an evening meal. On the contrary, going to bed hungry is very harmful. This will most likely lead to various problems – from insomnia, morning headaches and bad mood to serious gastrointestinal diseases and metabolic disorders.
It is only important to remember that in the morning the energy consumption for digestion is increased, and in the evening it decreases noticeably. That is, if you choose excessively high-calorie food for dinner, and even in large quantities, there is a high probability that it simply will not have time to be digested and will begin to rot in the intestines, causing various diseases to the gastrointestinal tract, and making you feel unwell and obese.
Also, do not forget that energy consumption for digesting protein foods is higher than for carbohydrate foods, and is minimal when digesting fats. So if you want to lose weight in your sleep (and this is real, because it is at night that the pituitary gland produces the hormone somatotropin, whose action is aimed, among other things, at burning fat cells), you should choose food for the evening meal that is low in fat and carbohydrates, which can block the work hormone due to its high energy intensity, ideally protein, and in a rational dose.
What can you eat at night
So, we found out that dinner is a must. But what exactly can you consume in the evening so as not only not to cause problems to your body, but even to lose weight? Of course, from the evening menu you should exclude alcohol or foods with caffeine, which will only interfere with sleep, as well as high-calorie and heavy foods such as sweet pastries or fatty fried meat, which will create unnecessary stress on the gastrointestinal tract, and pay attention to “light” foods that can get used to it relatively quickly, in
Raw, stewed or boiled vegetables
Perhaps the best dinner is vegetables, both raw and cooked – this is already the most important ingredient in a healthy person’s menu, and they are generally ideal for a late meal. A salad of leafy greens, vegetable stew, grilled, boiled, stewed and baked vegetables, and even vegetable soup and squash caviar – there are plenty of options for a healthy evening snack that will not only keep you from getting fat, but even start to lose weight – a lot!
Vegetables are low-calorie, rich in healthy fiber and vitamins, normalize intestinal flora, have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, help burn fat and strengthen the immune system, remove toxins – their benefits can hardly be overestimated.
Of course, if you care about your figure, it is better to give preference to greens in any quantities and combinations. leafy (lettuce, spinach) and non-starchy (cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, cabbage, celery) vegetables. Here you are unlikely to eat more than 100 kcal per serving.
Keeping an eye on the calorie content for dinner, you can also indulge in zucchini, pumpkin, eggplant, potatoes, carrots and beets – of course, without oil and not fried. The most “dangerous” for an evening snack will be legumes and grains, which are too heavy for a late meal, but they will not do much harm if they are not consumed daily and in reasonable doses.
Fermented milk products without additives
Unsweetened fermented milk products like kefir, Greek yogurt, fermented baked milk or yogurt without any additives are also an excellent choice for an evening meal. 100 g of such a snack contains only 50-70 kcal – of course, we are not talking about high-fat foods.
This is an excellent source of protein, which easily satisfies hunger without causing heaviness in the stomach, and beneficial calcium, necessary for bone health. Fermented milk products also have a beneficial effect on the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, promote accelerated processing of other food, reduce acidity and have calming properties, which is perfect before bed.
Poultry meat
Lean, skinless poultry, boiled, stewed or baked, is another option for a healthy protein snack that allows you to quickly fill up in the evening. 100 g of chicken breast or turkey contains only 90-110 kcal. An ideal complement to poultry for dinner would be a side dish of the same fresh or stewed vegetables.
White fish
Lean white fish in an amount of about 100 g is also quite suitable for dinner. There is very little fat in it, but there is plenty of healthy protein along with iodine and phosphorus. Fish is easily digestible, and at the same time helps reduce bad cholesterol in the blood. Suitable types of fish for a late dinner are pike, saury, cod, hake, pike perch, trout, and pollock. Of course, fish should not be fried in oil, but should be boiled or baked with vegetables, or grilled – in this case, the calorie content of 100 g will not exceed 100-150 kcal.
It is only important to choose for an evening snack not the fattest, but not completely fat-free varieties, and, of course, without any additives like raisins. In addition, as we remember, fermented milk products have a wonderful effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
