Is it bad to eat carbohydrates at night?

Carbohydrates are associated with a way to store energy, but that does not mean that they are fattening or are not recommended in the last meal of the day.




Carbohydrates are associated by most people with energy storage. For this reason, many think that if they are consumed before going to bed, this energy will result in weight gain because this 'gasoline' will not be used up. But this is not entirely true, since during sleep the human body also consumes energy and, especially in cold weather or after a hard day of training, requires more carbohydrates to warm up and recover.

However, there are ways to reconcile eating carbohydrates at dinner with a good night's sleep and a healthy life. First of all, you have to take into account the schedule. This consumption should not be increased in the last waking hours compared to the rest of the day and added sugars should be especially avoided, since they tend to worsen the quality of sleep. But that shouldn't rule out carbs. "They can help increase the production of serotonin, which helps our sleep hormone (melatonin) and reduces the stress of another hormone (cortisol). In fact, it can help us relax and have a more effective rest," clarifies the Dr. Marissa Meshulam, a dietitian at MPM Nutrition .

In any case, we must remember the special section for athletes. They tend to turn to carbohydrates to recover energy and be ready for an upcoming workout. So they are usually consumed before, during and after the effort. So, if the training has taken place in the afternoon, it would not be unreasonable to add carbohydrates to dinner to avoid feeling tired in the last hours of the day and to help the body recover during the night. And these are the foods with the most carbohydrates.

Is it really bad to eat carbohydrates before bed?

It's not bad, but the thing is, they won't magically disappear from your body in a couple of hours. However, the first piece of advice given by specialists is to avoid being overwhelmed, be they carbohydrates or any other food, because that is what makes you gain weight and causes other digestive disorders.

The key is not to arrive too hungry for the last meal of the day. Eating a lot of dinner will have a lot to do with what you have eaten throughout the day and with the possible rises and falls of sugar if you have followed an unbalanced diet. For that last intake, it is recommended to adjust the portion to the size of one of our fists.

Of course, the best way is to finish that dinner at least two hours before going to bed. This will avoid complicating digestion when the body is lying down. That would also hinder the corresponding absorption by the body.

What are the best carbohydrates for the night?

Beyond the fact that each human being has unique conditions and that it would be best to go to a nutritionist to adapt the diet, there are some foods that can make digestion difficult and others that can help you sleep better. Thus, you can incorporate a little rice, beans or sweet potatoes, with the aforementioned fist measurement.

According to experts at the Mayo Clinic in Cleveland , the best solution is to combine lean protein or healthy fat. These choices contain fiber and so-called slow carbohydrates (quinoa, for example), which regulate blood sugar and distribute energy during the night.

Some juicy carbohydrate proposals for the last meal of the day:

  • Popcorn with almonds. Nuts will help regulate blood sugar and provide magnesium and stimulate melatonin, two good ingredients to help you fall asleep.
  • A serving of frozen cherries with a teaspoon of cocoa nibs and a tablespoon of nut butter. The fruit provides the boost of melatonin and the rest the magnesium.
  • A slice of whole wheat toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter and half a banana.

    Do carbohydrates at night make you fat?

    The false belief that carbohydrates should be avoided at night or for dinner is due to the myth that, by not using them as energy when sleeping, they are transformed into fat. But we must bear in mind that carbohydrates are not very efficient as food to be transformed into fat in the body, since to achieve this, it is necessary to use 23 percent of the calories ingested, while fats only need to use 3 to be stored.

    And yes, they are beneficial if we consume them at night due to circadian rhythms. Consuming carbohydrates at night promotes greater oxidation of fat reserves, increases the feeling of satiety, reduces levels of ghrelin or appetite hormone and improves insulin sensitivity, for example. In addition, they help us sleep and rest better.

    Location: India

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