5 Foods you should never eat before bedtime

Midnight Munchies: 5 Foods to avoid at night

Karen GEORGE

25 Aug 2015

updated the 6 October 2015 à 22:29

1/5
Fizzy drinks
It goes without saying that soda is unhealthy at all times of the day but at night, just before you’re going to bed, you could really do with less acid in your stomach. The carbon, which is what all fizzy drinks have also increases stomach pressure leading to an uncomfortable time in bed all night round.
2/5
Fatty/ Processed food
Burgers, fries, sausages, pizza, cheese – these are the foods you should definitely avoid as they most certainly contribute to weight gain while you sleep. The carbs stored in these foods take a long time to digest, leading to stomach aches, cramping, acid reflux and wind. What’s more, when it does finally digest, you’ll only be piling on the pounds as you sleep.
3/5
Sweet food
Ice cream, cakes, doughnuts, basically anything with a high sugar content is a really bad idea before bed. Not only does your body digest these foods at a slower rate, you won’t have a chance to burn off the excess fat before bedtime, leading to unnecessary weight gain. Plus, all that sugar will be running around in your system, giving you an excess spike in energy which means you won’t be getting any shut-eye till the small hours of the morning.
4/5
Spicy food
Having spicy or peppery food before bedtime is a major no-no as these foods contain tons of chemicals that stimulate your senses, making it hard for you to fall asleep. If you think eating a chilli laden snack before going to sleep will have you burning calories, think again, as the spice in chilli will only cause heartburn and you lying down trying to get past the bloating sensation is no way to burn calories.
5/5
Meat
You probably didn’t have a filing dinner and now the idea of a juicy steak is tempting you at night. Before you give in to temptation, remember that meat is high in protein and fat, both of which are slow to digest. As with previous foods before, you already know this means a long night of cramps and discomfort as your digestive system works overtime to process your meaty meal.

Are you guilty of snacking before bedtime? Here’s a list of foods you should avoid before hitting the sack.

The time after dinner and before bedtime is one of the twilight zones where the munchies hit and we can’t decide if we should give in to our cravings or brush our teeth and just go to bed.

Well, common wisdom states it’s unhealthy to eat anything after 9pm as your digestive system is supposed to be at rest but the occasional pre-bedtime indulgence to satiate your hunger has never killed anyone!

But while there’s no need to deny yourself that midnight snack, you’ve got to be smart about your choice of nibbles so you can pile on the late-night snacking frequently with as little health repercussions as possible.

So before you just reach into your fridge for the nearest and tastiest looking item, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 foods you need to avoid so you can catch up on your zzz’s with no interruptions. Follow our guidelines in the gallery and you’re sure to have a good night’s sleep ahead.

Karen George

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