Milk is a nutritious drink that we often have in our daily lives. The main component of milk is protein, which does not increase the burden on nighttime energy consumption, so many people drink a glass of milk before going to bed. Everyone knows that for people who are losing weight, their daily diet is very important. So, the question arises, will drinking milk before bed cause weight gain? Let me explain in detail below:
Drinking milk before bed helps with sleep
According to research by medical experts in the US and UK, milk contains a "natural sleep-inducing factor" called alpha-lactalbumin, which has the effect of regulating brain nerves and improving sleep. Therefore, experts recommend drinking a glass of milk in the evening or half an hour before bedtime to calm the mind and promote sleep.
Drinking milk at night does not affect weight loss
1. Drinking milk before bed is a very good eating habit. A moderate amount of milk and dairy products is food that our bodies need, and it will not bring an excess calorie burden to our bodies, but will only supplement the nutrients our bodies need. At the same time, drinking milk before bed also promotes calcium absorption.
2. The calories in 100g of low-fat milk are between 50-80 kcal, while the calories in 100g of rice are between 110-150. You can see that milk is not a high-calorie food. On the contrary, milk is rich in nutrition and comprehensive, providing us with high-quality protein, calcium, and other important trace elements. Therefore, dairy products are great foods for weight loss. Furthermore, low-fat or semi-skimmed milk contains 1.0%-1.5% fat, while whole skim milk contains 0.5% fat. Therefore, switching from whole milk to low-fat milk reduces 3.75-5.0 grams of fat, and even with skim milk, you only reduce 6.25 grams. In comparison, using less oil when cooking, not eating fried foods, eating less pork, and eating out less are the major strategies for reducing fat.
3. Drinking milk before bed not only promotes calcium absorption (nighttime is the best time for calcium digestion and absorption) and promotes sleep (calcium has a calming effect on emotions), but also, the main component of milk—protein—is not digested and absorbed so quickly. It is mainly digested in the small intestine, which means drinking milk before bed will not burden nighttime energy consumption, and it will also prevent you from feeling very hungry when you wake up the next morning.
6 types of snacks suitable for before bed
1. Potato
Everyone knows the secret to potatoes for weight loss, but did you know? It can also help you sleep. It clears acids that interfere with tryptophan, which can induce sleep. To achieve this effect, you just need to mash a baked potato and mix it with warm milk to eat.
A small baked potato will not disrupt your digestive system; on the contrary, it can clear the acid compounds that hinder the hypnotic effect of tryptophan. If you make it into mashed potatoes with warm milk, the effect will be even better.
2. Banana
A diet banana is actually a "sleeping pill" wrapped in a peel. Besides stabilizing serotonin and melatonin, it also contains magnesium, which has a muscle-relaxing effect. In addition, eating bananas before bed will not cause weight gain because they are low in calories and rich in dietary fiber, which can promote bowel movements.
3. Almonds
Almonds contain both tryptophan and magnesium, a great remedy for relaxing muscles. So eating a small amount of this heart-healthy nut is another clever trick for inducing sleep.
4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a very valuable bedtime treat, rich in N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine. Cooking a small bowl of cereal and mixing in a little honey is just perfect. Try chewing it with big bites, enough to fill your dental cavities.
Oatmeal can also induce the production of melatonin. A small bowl is enough to promote sleep, and if you chew a large amount of oatmeal, the effect will be even better.
5. Honey
Add a small amount of honey to your warm milk or vanilla tea. Some glucose can prompt your brain to stop producing orexin, a neurotransmitter recently discovered to be associated with staying awake.
A large amount of sugar has an exciting effect, but a small amount of glucose can timely signal the brain to secrete orexin (a newly discovered neurotransmitter related to thinking and response). So, adding a few drops of honey to warm milk or vanilla tea is also helpful for relaxation before bed.
6. Chrysanthemum tea
Chrysanthemum tea is the first choice for a bedtime drink mainly because of its gentle sleep-inducing effect, making it the best natural remedy for calming the mind.