Why late night snacking is bad for you
Almost everyone is guilty of this bad habit of snacking late at night, irrespective of whether it is a full meal or light snacks. According to Dr. Omo Izedonmwen of Wuse Hospital, Abuja, eating late at night makes us prone to many health issues: it increases the weight; it also increases the level of insulin and cholesterol in the body thereby increasing the risk of diabetes. And it also increases your chances of having a heart attack.
Snacking late at night could negatively affect the memory, which also affects your sleep pattern because you have to keep waking up at intervals to use the rest room. We are not supposed to be interrupting our sleep at night because all the systems are resting from the day’s work.
The ideal time not to eat dinner is two hours to your bed time. Eating heavy meal late at night can have you feeling hungrier than usual when you wake up the following morning, which will potentially lead to weight gain.
If you are really hungry and need to eat dinner instead of skipping it, it is advisable to eat something light like cereals, vegetable, fruits, or products with low fats and calories.
Eating calorie-dense foods late at night can enhance your wellness if you are underweight due to illness, medical treatment or reduced appetite. If this is the case, then choose healthy foods such as nuts, avocado and cheese.
It is very important not to skip breakfast, eat a healthy heavy meal for lunch and light snacks for dinner. Overeating or eating high fat and acidic foods such as tomatoes, processed food or products at night heightens the risk of a heart burn or acid reflux in the body.
Eat healthy to stay healthy.