Forbidden foods: do not eat at night

We have known since childhood that eating at night is extremely harmful. However, sometimes it happens that the feeling of hunger makes us neglect the warnings of nutritionists.

Probably, many people know the state when the feeling of hunger that appears after a too early or light dinner does not allow you to fall asleep. Feet themselves lead us  to the refrigerator. We console ourselves with the fact that we will not eat high-calorie forbidden foods, but  take a sour apple, orange or a little soda — this is not food at all, nothing terrible will happen, we would have to drown out our appetite. However, are they really safe? Together with estet-portal.com, we invite you to get acquainted with the new approach of nutritionists to the products with which we satisfy our hunger in the evening.

Foods that trigger acid reflux

The phenomenon of acid reflux is familiar to many of us firsthand. Under the mysterious term, gastric juice enters the esophagus and throat, causing a burning sensation. This feeling is quite understandable: gastric juice is caustic enough for the tissues of the esophagus and throat, the epithelium of which does not have a protective layer.

Regularly repeated exposure of gastric juice to the esophagus — an extremely negative phenomenon, it has a detrimental effect on the epithelium of the esophagus and larynx, causing damage to them and provoking the development of inflammatory processes.

Nutritionists strongly warn against eating certain foods and drinks before bed that cause a weakening of the upper esophageal sphincter. These products set in motion the reflux mechanism, the danger of which increases when we assume a horizontal position. The greatest risk of reflux comes from:

• alcoholic beverages that relax the valve that separates the stomach from the esophagus. This means that the contents of the stomach have every chance to return to the esophagus,
• all types of soda containing a record amount of acid and negatively affecting the tissues of the esophagus. In addition, carbonated drinks increase the pressure in the stomach,
• citrus fruits, which also fall into the category of prohibited foods due to their high acid content,
• Foods high in fat. These are all kinds of nuts, some types of cheese and chocolate. The fats present in these foods help to relax the valves of the digestive system, which is also a provoking factor for reflux. In addition, chocolate has a stimulating effect and contains a large amount of sugar, the use of which is highly undesirable, since the body absorbs glucose worse in the evening.

Buns and sweets — forbidden foods for dinner

The consumption of simple carbohydrates, which form the basis of premium flour, as well as a large amount of sugar, which is included in almost any type of baked goods, leads to an increase in blood sugar levels. Soon it also drops rapidly, and therefore we feel hungry again. At the same time, it is the excess of simple carbohydrates that turns into unwanted fat deposits, which are concentrated in the most problematic places: on the waist, hips or abdomen. So, let's leave sweet pies, buns and other similar products for the first half of the day. For a not too late dinner, opt for wholemeal bread, healthy cereals containing complex carbohydrates that will not lead to the need for nightly meals due to strong feelings of hunger.

Eating meat products before bedtime

So, foods rich in carbohydrates are considered not the best dinner. Perhaps the problem of night hunger will be solved by eating protein foods? However, there are also a number of foods that are best avoided in the evening. These are, first of all, red meats cooked in fried or baked form. Such meat dishes contain a large amount of tyrosine — amino acids that affect the production of a number of hormones. Tyrosine stimulates the production of dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline, which are stimulating and can interfere with a good night's rest. In addition, fatty meat dishes, sausages and smoked meats create a very significant burden on the liver and gallbladder, the activity of which decreases in the evening. Therefore, the best protein foods for dinner can be considered low-fat varieties of fish, chicken breast,

Fast food and semi-finished products: harmful always and everywhere

Of course we all know how harmful they are. However, it is fast food that has a great chance of becoming the most harmful dinner — because this food is really fast, it does not need to be cooked, it is enough to reheat or fry without defrosting. It is this dinner that includes the whole complex of elements prohibited by nutritionists for consumption in the evening, because:

these dishes usually contain too much salt and spices, as well as synthetic food additives necessary to mask the taste of not the best meat or poor quality sausages;
Dough is an integral part of many fast food options. But these are not only unwanted fast carbohydrates, but also margarine, which belongs to trans fats and serves as a source of "harmful"
• cholesterol that clogs our blood vessels;
Many types of fast food contain spicy sauces, which are stimulating and stressful for the liver.

As for semi-finished meat products, this product usually includes low-quality minced meat containing a huge amount of animal fats, and, possibly, genetically modified soy protein. So, the use of such products will not allow you to fully relax due to a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

Sweet fruits for dinner: pros and cons

We all know very well how useful a variety of berries and fruits are. They serve as a source of a huge amount of vitamins and minerals, in addition, sweet fruits can temporarily drown out the feeling of hunger. It would seem, why not an option for a late evening meal? However, not everything is so simple here either. Of course, if your weight is normal, and you are not in a hurry to count every calorie, some fruit will be a good dessert. But if you are stubbornly struggling with extra pounds that do not want to leave you, limit the use of sweet fruits in the evening: the effect of an extra bunch of grapes will be about the same as from a bun.

What do we have to eat for dinner

So, a lot of what we used to have for dinner, alas, day after day has a detrimental effect on our body, because it makes it work in a not quite normal mode. However, to endure hunger is also extremely harmful. Is there a reasonable compromise that allows, without causing harm to health, to dine tasty and satisfying enough?

Of course, this is quite possible if you choose:

lean fish or white meats;
vegetable dishes prepared with a minimum amount of fat;
cereal dishes containing a sufficient amount of coarse dietary fiber;
wholemeal bakery products;
low-fat cheeses.

Of course, the portion should be moderate. And, of course, it is advisable to have dinner no later than three hours before going to bed. If you feel hungry in the late evening hours, keep some kefir or natural yogurt in reserve, they will help calm your appetite. You can read more about the principles of healthy eating at estet-portal.com.