Dinner shouldn't be an afterthought; it should be nutritious, too. Especially for our friends in the workforce who, after a long day at the office, often just grab a quick bite. Sometimes they eat too much. This isn't the right way to eat. So, how should we eat dinner? How can we eat in a way that's beneficial to our health? What are the downsides of eating too much at night?
1. Eating ginger at night is like eating arsenic.
The ancient saying goes: "Eating ginger in the morning is better than taking ginseng soup; eating ginger at night is like eating arsenic (eating ginger in the morning is beneficial, while eating it at night is harmful)." Ginger is pungent and warm in nature, containing volatile oils, gingerol, resins, and starch. Ginger can enhance and accelerate blood circulation, stimulate gastric juice secretion, excite the stomach and intestines, promote digestion, and also has antibacterial properties. A little ginger in the morning is good for your health. But eating it at night is not advisable because ginger is inherently "hot" and can cause "internal heat," harming the body and draining its energy. Ginger contains volatile oils that can accelerate blood circulation; at the same time, it contains gingerol, which stimulates gastric juice secretion, excites the intestines, and promotes digestion; ginger also contains gingerols, which can reduce the occurrence of gallstones. So, it has both benefits and drawbacks. This is why there's a folk saying, "Radish at bedtime, ginger at sunrise," which suggests that ginger can be eaten, but not in excess.
Especially in autumn, it's best to avoid it. Because the autumn climate is dry, and "dryness" harms the lungs. Eating pungent ginger on top of that can more easily damage the lungs and worsen the body's dehydration and dryness. This kind of "warning" also appears in ancient medical texts: "Within a year, do not eat ginger in autumn; within a day, do not eat ginger at night." It seems that the ancients already paid great attention to avoiding or eating less ginger and other spicy foods in autumn, and this is very reasonable.
2. Greasy foods should be avoided.
Greasy foods not only include fried foods but also some animal organs with high cholesterol. After eating these foods, the burden on the intestines, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas is increased, and the central nervous system is stimulated, affecting sleep quality. People with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol should be especially strict in controlling their intake.
3. "Gas-inducing foods" are not suitable for the evening.
Some foods produce a large amount of gas during digestion, leading to bloating. Examples include beans, cabbage, onions, corn, and bananas. Excessive bloating not only causes discomfort in the stomach and intestines but also affects sleep. Therefore, it's best to avoid eating such foods in the evening as well.