All of us at one time or the other crave a bedtime snack. Mine is usually Handel’s ice cream. However that is one habit I will need to change. Keep reading to find out why.

Foods not to eat before bed and why.

• Raw garlic

A myth you may have heard is that eating raw garlic before bed can improve sleep quality. Actually the opposite is true. Garlic does possess many health benefits and has been proven to alleviate conditions such as immune disorders and arthritis. Great food to add to your diet however eating it right before bed is a horrible idea.

Garlic is a gastrointestinal stimulant, it could keep your stomach active through the night and prevent you from getting comfortable. The potent flavor and spice can increase saliva production, unsettle your bowels, and cause heartburn. It is best to consume garlic early in the day.

• Green tea

A cup of soothing tea may seem like a perfect night cap. Green tea is not the one as it is high in caffeine. Drinking this within a few hours of attempting to sleep may cause your mind to be overactive and prevent you from enjoying a peaceful night. Any liquid before bed has the potential to cause middle-of-the-night bathroom trips.

If you want to drink green tea in the evening, drink it at least 3 hours before you go to bed, or choose a decaffeinated variety.

• Pasta and bread

I have been guilty of eating toast and drinking tea at bedtime. I am now finding out that is not a good idea. Foods containing pasta and bread are full of empty carbohydrates. It feels like they are filling you up, but in reality these foods make you more hungry. Besides that if you eat carbohydrate heavy snacks before bed, your body doesn’t have an opportunity to convert these carbohydrates into energy and they immediately turn to fat.

• Chocolate

Chocolate is one of those sneaky sources of caffeine. While you may think a few bites of dark chocolate in the evening as enjoyable, it could be the reason you have trouble falling asleep or wake up still feeling tired. Dark chocolate also contains theobromine which has been shown to increase heart rate.

• Celery

Celery helps hydrate your body and rids your body of toxins through urine. Being 95% water and a natural diuretic, eating celery at bedtime will have you up all night running to the bathroom. It could cause your body to be jolted out of REM, demanding a trip to the toilet.

• Ice cream

As I stated at the beginning of this blog. Handel’s ice cream has long been my fave bedtime snack. Ice cream is packed full of fat, so eating it anytime is not a good idea. Your body does not have a chance to burn the fat through activity if you eat ice cream at bedtime. Therefore that fat goes straight into fat stores and most likely contribute to love-handles.

• Sugary cereals

Like ice cream, the sugar contained in most cereals will impact your body negatively. This is especially true if you eat sugary cereal at bedtime. The cereal leads to a spike in your blood sugar levels and then crash which can interfere in a healthy sleep cycle.

• Too much food in general

It is never a good idea to eat a heavy meal right before bed. You may feel sleepy right after dinner or a large snack, going to sleep after a meal can contribute to weight gain and disrupted sleep. Digesting food takes a while and if you go to bed before your body has time to process the food you ate, it will have to work overtime and keep you awake or cause restless sleep.

It is a good idea to use a 12 hour window to consume all your food intake. It can be 6am to 6pm, or 7am to 7pm. You should have your last meal no later than 7pm. That gives your body time to digest any food you ate prior to you retiring for the night.

So stay awake from late night snacking and stay healthy!