Cocktails, Caffeine & More: 7 Foods to Avoid after 7PM

Cocktails, Caffeine & More: 7 Foods to avoid after 7 p.m.

Sarah Khan

27 Sep 2016

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Large meals
Consuming a significant amount of calories in the evening (when you are likely to be most sedentary and least active), can cause indigestion, hormonal changes leading to long-term weight gain, and also lead to increased risk of heart disease.
New research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress found that individuals who consumed a significant number of calories after 7pm every night reported the highest increases in blood pressure overnight, therefore increasing their risk of heart attack or stroke.
Instead, have an earlier dinner (if possible) or opt for a lighter, healthier alternative meal.
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Caffeine
Highly-caffeinated foods and drinks like coffee, non-herbal teas, dark chocolate, cacao, and soda drinks should be avoided in the evening due to its prolonged effects that can be experienced for up to 4 to 6 hours after consumption. Its effects include sleep difficulties, restlessness and heart palpitations. If you have been having difficulties sleeping lately, your evening coffee or chocolate fix might be why.
If you are in the mood for a hot beverage to unwind with in the evenings, opt for a herbal tea instead. It is not only caffeine-free but has plenty of nutritional benefits.
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Alcohol
While many people commonly assume that alcohol directly causes weight gain, it is not actually the case. Rather, alcohol increases the likelihood of the calories you consume to be stored. This means that if you are downing glasses of wine during a heavy dinner, there is a high chance of a weight gain cycle. Additionally, alcohol has been shown to disrupt your sleep cycle, leaving you feeling less well-rested the following day.
If you must, have your final meal of the day as early as possible, and have at most 2 alcoholic drinks (without food) during your social engagement at night.
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High-fat foods
Indulging in high-fat foods such as greasy, fried fast food or desserts like ice-cream is a vice many of us are guilty of in the evening. However, these foods are linked to increases in blood fat immediately after being consumed. High amounts of fat in the blood causes our arterial walls to thicken, increasing our likelihood of adverse heart conditions. High-fat foods also take a longer time to digest, and will work our digestive system into overdrive, at a time when it should be at rest.
Instead, if you're craving a post-dinner or work indulgence, opt for lower fat alternatives like Greek yoghurt and fruit, or some fresh gelato.
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Spicy foods
During sleep, our digestive system slows down (hence why we should avoid heavy, high-calorie meals before bed).
Besides causing heartburn, spicy food is more disruptive to the digestive system than blander food, which may cause you to wake up at several points during the night and not benefit from the regenerative properties of a continuous, undisrupted sleep.
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Red meats
Out of any other foods, proteins (in particular meat) take longer to digest than any other foods. Red meat is packed with proteins and fats that will keep your body and digestive system hard at work throughout the night, when it is supposed to be at rest.
Don’t avoid red meats altogether, however - they are a great source of iron and also tryptophan, which actually helps sleep. If you’re headed to bed by 10pm however, it is best to avoid eating it at 7 or right before you sleep.
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High-sugar Foods
Consuming foods high in sugar such as desserts, or that huge slice of chocolate cake you decided to treat yourself with after work can cause a spike in your blood-sugar levels. This spike can cause your energy levels to spike and plummet, which may not only cause you to get hungrier later in the night and indulge in a high-calorie binge, it can also disrupt your sleep process.
Avoid high-carb snacks, desserts like cakes and cookies, or sugary beverages and opt for sweet fruit treats instead, like strawberries, plums or apples.

How many of these foods are you guilty of ingesting after work?

The clock strikes at 6 in the evening and you glance at the time, relieved that your work day is over. The possibilities seem infinite: you might grab a few after-work cocktails or coffee with some friends, or curl up on your couch wolfing down greasy fast food take-out or spicy ramen noodles.

Sound familiar?

As indulgent as these habits are, many of us may fall prey to these unhealthy eating habits, particularly as a way of unwinding after a long day in the office or having skipped a meal or two. Caffeine, alcohol, and greasy foods – what many of us consider to be guilty pleasures – are, in general, foods we should avoid or consume in moderation. However, did you know that besides disrupting your sleep, these vices have even graver health implications like weight gain and heart diseases, particularly when consumed after 7pm?

If you’d like to find out what foods to avoid in the evening and make some changes to your after-work dinner routine, have a look through the gallery above for the top 7 foods you should not be consuming in the evenings before bed.

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images

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