The body's metabolism slows down at night. Therefore, eating too much unhealthy food not only prevents the stomach and brain from getting adequate rest, affecting digestion and sleep, but also leads to fat accumulation, impacting one's figure. The US MSN Health Channel published an article warning that the following five types of food should be consumed with caution after 7 PM.
Dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is a healthy snack, rich in magnesium and antioxidants like flavanols, whose benefits for cardiovascular health have been medically proven. However, dark chocolate contains caffeine, which can stimulate the brain and affect sleep when consumed at night.
Nuts. Nuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial to the body and can even aid in weight loss. However, fat itself is digested slowly, and eating too many nuts as a snack at night is not easy to digest. Nuts fried with added butter and salt, in particular, can lead to abdominal fat accumulation. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid high-fat foods before bedtime. If you are genuinely hungry, you can opt for high-quality protein foods or carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread, as a substitute.
Alcohol. Drinking alcohol generates a significant amount of calories; if you are working out and trying to lose weight, alcohol is more harmful than beneficial. Another downside of drinking at night is that it disrupts your sleep cycle. Although alcohol may make you drowsy, it also disrupts deep sleep, leaving you feeling listless the next morning.
Pastry and sweets. Pastries and sweets are a temptation for anyone, and without a doubt, they are "junk food" at night. Besides being high in sugar and saturated fat, they are nutritionally barren and offer little value. A study published in the journal *Mind & Body* showed that among people who eat sweet "junk food" before bed, 7 out of 10 are more prone to nightmares.
Spicy food. A study published in the journal *International Journal of Psychophysiology* found that adding spicy seasonings like chili and mustard to dinner led to poorer sleep quality in 6 out of 10 male participants. Moreover, spicy food can irritate the stomach and intestines, affecting digestion and absorption, and can easily cause symptoms like bloating and acid reflux.