Is eating late night snacks addictive? How to eat to satisfy your cravings and stay healthy

Beer, kebabs, crayfish...

Does it sound like you’re drooling already?

Is it every night?

I can't resist the temptation of delicious food

Do you often pick up your phone to order takeout?

If you haven't clicked yet, please put down your phone.

Listen to the secret of midnight snack

Eating two hours before bedtime is considered a midnight snack

Working overtime, immersing oneself in watching videos on mobile phones...For many people, staying up late has become the norm in life, and midnight snacks have inevitably become a "regular."

Many people think that only eating late at night is considered a midnight snack, which is actually wrong. Anything eaten two hours before going to bed is considered a midnight snack. At the same time, not only barbecue, beer, crayfish, and fried skewers are considered midnight snacks. Even if you only eat healthy fruits, vegetable salads, and milk two hours before going to bed, it is considered a midnight snack.

Since the peak time for gastrointestinal digestion and absorption of carbohydrates is about 2 hours after a meal, and this time will be delayed if fat is consumed, the midnight snack and sleep should be at least 2 to 3 hours apart. If you go to bed at 11 p.m. every night, try not to eat after 9 p.m.

The harm of long-term late-night snacks

Some of us know that eating midnight snacks is not good for the body, but they may not be very clear about what the specific disadvantages are.

The most obvious consequence of eating midnight snacks for a long time is that you will get fat. During the day, you have to do various things and the amount of activity is high. The body's metabolism is faster, and the demand and consumption of food is also greater. At night, the body is tired and enters a resting state, and the digestion efficiency will also decrease. The time that food stays in the intestine increases, and the absorption of lipids and sugars will also increase. Over time, the probability of obesity will greatly increase.

Increased risk of cardiovascular disease. After a midnight snack, the pancreas will secrete a large amount of insulin, which increases the burden on the pancreas and is likely to induce pancreatic disease. If you eat high-calorie, high-fat foods such as fried chicken and cakes for a long time, it will also lead to insulin resistance and increase the risk of diabetes. In addition, it is also easy to induce hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia interacts with diabetes and is likely to induce atherosclerosis and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Increased risk of gastric cancer. Late-night snacks will affect the repair of gastric mucosal epithelial cells to a certain extent, and it is easy to have symptoms such as indigestion and weakened gastrointestinal motility. Undigested food stays in the stomach for a long time, which will increase the digestive burden, damage the gastric mucosa, and cause esophageal reflux. This can easily lead to gastritis, esophagitis, gastric ulcers, and even gastric cancer.

Reduce sleep quality. After eating a midnight snack, the stomach and intestines continue to work, and other tissues and organs will also be affected. In particular, it will increase the excitement of the brain, making it difficult to fall asleep. Especially for middle-aged and elderly people, the digestive ability is weakened and they are more likely to suffer from insomnia. Friends who often eat midnight snacks have the same feeling. After eating a midnight snack, people are energetic and sleepy!

I'm really hungry, what should I eat for midnight snack?

If you are busy until midnight and are very hungry and want to eat something, that is not a problem, but do not choose foods such as instant noodles, biscuits, cakes, barbecue, fried chicken, etc. These are basically high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar foods, which are not good for your health and are not suitable for midnight snacks.

In addition, it is not suitable to eat exciting and stimulating condiments such as chili peppers and peppercorns for midnight snacks.

If you are really hungry and want to order takeout, you can choose these:

First, it is low in fat, energy, and high in nutritional value;

Secondly, it is easy to digest and does not add burden to the stomach and intestines;

Again, there is a certain feeling of fullness;

Finally, eating should not affect your sleep.

According to this standard, you can drink milk, yogurt, hot soy milk, oatmeal porridge, lotus seed and lily porridge, hot noodle soup, pimple soup, sesame paste, etc. How about it? There are many choices, right? There is always one you like!

You can eat fruit as a midnight snack, but it is not recommended to eat only fruit. Because when you are very hungry, you will have a stronger appetite the more you eat. However, it is good to eat it with other foods, or eat it when you are not very hungry, so that the feeling of hunger will come later.

Well, I have finished talking about the secrets of midnight snacks. If you still want to eat, you must remember the above standards and avoid eating high-fat or greasy food.

Finally, there is one more thing you need to pay attention to. It is best not to go to bed immediately after eating. Find a movie or variety show to watch before going to bed!

END

Source: Science Popularization China, CCTV Life Circle, People's Science Popularization

Science and Technology Daily, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University

Editor: Guru