Doctors point out foods that should be prioritized if you have to eat late at night

Many people often eat late at night, or eat extra food at night after a main meal, due to work or habit. This can be the cause of many diseases that have long-term effects on health.

What happens to the body when we eat late at night?

Late night eating is the act of consuming a main meal or snack after 10 p.m., when the body's biological clock begins to shift into a resting state. This disrupts the natural cycle of digestion and metabolism.

According to Master - Doctor Tran Van Hieu, Department of Gastroenterology, Military Hospital 175, eating late at night causes many harmful effects to the body as follows:

Late night eating is the act of consuming a main meal or snack after 10 p.m., when the body's biological clock begins to shift into a resting state.

Digestion rate slows down : After 10pm, the parasympathetic nervous system decreases activity, digestive enzyme secretion decreases, slowing down the digestion and absorption of food. Food remaining in the stomach for a long time can lead to a feeling of fullness and indigestion.

Increased risk of gastroesophageal reflux : When food is not fully digested and the body is in a lying position, stomach pressure increases, easily pushing acid and food up the esophagus, causing reflux.

Circadian rhythm disruption : The biological clock regulates the secretion of digestive hormones and energy metabolism. Eating late at night disrupts this process, leading to metabolic disorders and inefficient digestion.

From there, the consequences of eating late dinner that doctors pointed out include many dangerous diseases.

Weight gain and obesity : Late dinner increases the storage of excess energy as fat due to the reduction in basal metabolic rate at night.

Increased risk of metabolic disease : Late dinner is associated with increased risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Digestive disorders : Gastroesophageal reflux, indigestion, bloating...

Sleep disorders : Late dinners disrupt sleep, causing chronic fatigue and reduced concentration.

Late dinner but more hungry the next morning, why?

Dr. Hieu explains that the reason for increased hunger and cravings in the morning after a full meal at night is due to a disorder of the hormones leptin and ghrelin: “Leptin (the satiety hormone) decreases while ghrelin (the hunger-stimulating hormone) increases after a late dinner, causing a stronger feeling of hunger the next morning. Unstable increases in blood sugar and insulin due to the body being fed foods rich in starch and sugar can also be the reason. Because then, the body reacts by secreting excess insulin, leading to reactive hypoglycemia in the morning, stimulating appetite.”

Eating late at night causes sleep disorders, gastric reflux and circadian rhythm disorders.

In addition, eating at night causes sleep disorders due to incomplete digestion, causing difficulty sleeping, making the body tired and stimulating higher energy needs the next day. People who have the habit of going to bed right after a late dinner are also at risk of gastroesophageal reflux, digestive disorders, affecting heart rate and circulation...

Food should be "chosen" when needing a late dinner

According to Dr. Hieu, you should choose foods that are easy to digest and low in calories to eat at night:

• Easily digestible protein: Unsweetened yogurt, boiled eggs, salmon…
• Foods rich in fiber and water: Green vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes or some low-sugar fruits like apples, pears.
• Small sources of complex carbohydrates: Whole wheat bread or oatmeal.
• Healthy drinks: Warm water, herbal tea (caffeine free) to aid digestion.

“To protect the digestive system and overall health of the body, everyone needs to pay attention to eating dinner on time, preferably before 8pm so that the digestive system has enough time to process food before going to bed, and pay attention to controlling food portions at this time. If you feel hungry late, choose a light meal, avoid foods high in fat, sugar, and salt. Absolutely do not lie down immediately after eating, instead, maintain an upright sitting position or walk gently for at least 2 hours after a meal to aid digestion. In addition, creating a regular routine, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day to support the biological clock, is also very important,” Dr. Hieu emphasized.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bac-si-chi-ra-nhung-thuc-pham-nen-duoc-uu-tien-neu-phai-an-khuya-185250103230019872.htm