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You have probably encountered the scenario where dinner is finished and it is now time to go to bed. However, your appetite is returning. This is a result of your succumbing to cravings around midnight. People constantly get late-night cravings, even when they eat healthily during the day. You may be yearning for something late at night or around midnight for a number of reasons. You may be desiring something because you are stressed out or hungry, or you may be binge-watching something and want to nibble. But overindulging in eating late at night is not a good habit.
It is recommended that you avoid eating meals or high-calorie foods after dusk. However, if you were hungry at midnight, how would you respond? The idea behind stopping such situations is to make sure you give your dinner as much importance as you usually give to your breakfast. There are certain foods that you should avoid for dinner to make mindful choices for a healthier you.
Breakfast Cereals
You may believe that it's healthy to have breakfast cereal at night, but it may not be so. The majority of crunchy cereals have a high sugar content. Consuming this just before bed might raise insulin levels and produce a blood sugar surge. If you want to eat cereal for dinner, then make sure it is from a reputable brand and check the nutritional value before consuming it. This will help you understand the amount of sugar present in the cereal. The basic thumb rule is to not have more than 6 grams of sugar in one serving.
White Bread
One of the foods that is most frequently consumed is white bread. Most of the snacks that are served for breakfast and evening tea are made using white bread but a lot of people eat white bread for dinner, whether it is to stuff their omelette or soak up the curries. White bread is deficient in most nutrients and has no nutritional fibre. They also have a documented exponential effect on blood sugar levels, according to a study by Applied Food Research.
Ice Cream
Nothing is better than curling up with a container of ice cream and your favourite TV on the couch after a filling dinner. A large number of well-known brands have more added sugar than the 25–36 grams daily allowance, according to the US National Library of Medicine. If you want to indulge in ice cream, then you can choose options like sugar-free ice creams or low-fat ice creams in place of your traditional ones to cut down on calories and sugar.
High Starch Foods
Foods high in starch are often overly processed and devoid of fibre and nutrients in modern diets. Eating refined-flour meals results in low nutritional value, irregular bowel movements, blood sugar surges, and altered stomach acidity. These eventually result in more severe side effects, including diarrhoea, a slowed metabolism, and even certain hormonal abnormalities, according to the US National Library of Medicine. For dinner, avoid processed meals like pizza, burgers, and pasta.
Samosa And Kachori
Samosas and kachori are another popular teatime snack and a perennial favourite meal in India but many people also enjoy them as a quick dinner snack. The all-purpose flour used to make these products is very calorific. These Indian specialities have fatty potato fillings that add extra calories to the dish. Additionally, deep-frying these treats raises your body's harmful cholesterol levels.
Cruciferous Vegetables
These cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are rich in nutrients, but they also include complex carbs and fibre, which take longer to digest. Consuming them late at night may cause bloating and digestive issues according to the US National Library of Medicine. Therefore, it is a better idea to avoid cruciferous veggies at night and indulge in other foods in place of them.
Chicken Kebab
Chicken has a lot of protein, which takes longer and requires more energy to digest. Thus, eating at night requires time to digest, which interrupts sleep as per a study by the Journal of Animal Science. Even if you have to eat, do it in moderate quantities and in a balanced manner. The same applies to other kebabs since they can contain a high amount of oil and fat which can cause digestive discomfort at night.
