Is eating at night harmful to health?

I often crave food after dinner and before going to bed, otherwise I will be restless and uncomfortable, is this harmful? (Trang, 28 years old, Hanoi )

Reply:

When it comes to eating at night, people often think of problems such as bloating, weight gain, acne, all of which are negative effects on health. However, if you eat at night scientifically and in a controlled manner, it will be effective.

In fact, what you eat before bed matters. A low-fat, high-fiber snack is a good choice, especially if it includes foods that help your body maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Snacking can also help prevent hypoglycemia while you sleep.

Consuming protein or carbohydrates at night also helps many people control their appetite, thereby limiting indiscriminate eating, causing weight gain. In addition, if you exercise at night, energy supplementation is necessary. On average, about 45 minutes after exercise, the body must be replenished with nutrients. Therefore, experts recommend supplementing carbohydrates after exercise, even if it is late at night.

For those who are malnourished and underweight, eating at night will provide energy as a snack to help the body receive more calories. Eating at night also helps those who are anorexic or have poor appetite to increase nutrition from snacks.

Note, you need to choose the right time to eat, specifically finish the meal at least 90 minutes before going to bed so that the food has time to digest, the body does not accumulate excess fat and sleep better. The energy you should take in for a night meal is only about 150-200 Kcal.

Avoid foods high in sugar and additives such as cakes, candies, processed fast foods high in fat such as ham, french fries, popcorn, sausages, hot dogs, hamburgers, spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, and carbonated soft drinks.

Doctor Nguyen Hoai Thu
Vietnam Institute of Applied Medicine

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