Opinions about the last meal differ even among experts. Some believe that dinner should end three to four hours before bedtime. Others confidently give a positive answer to the question: “Is it possible to eat before going to bed?” But they explain that if a person wants to keep or lose weight, not all products are suitable for a late meal. And it’s not just about calories, the number of carbohydrates and fat.
Hormones and adipose tissue
A certain amount of somatotropin, called growth hormone, is produced daily in the body of a healthy person. Its concentration in the blood is greatest in children and adolescents since this substance stimulates the growth processes in tissue structures and bones. At an older age, the production of somatotropin decreases significantly. This has a direct effect on weight since the hormone mentioned above promotes the burning of subcutaneous adipose tissue. But it is produced only an hour or two a day, from 11:00 pm to 1:00 am, exclusively during sleep. Therefore, it is important for those who want to lose weight to go to bed before midnight.
The opposite effect on fat reserves in the body has another hormone – insulin. If its amount in the blood is increased before bedtime, the release of somatotropin is blocked. The release of insulin into the blood leads to the use of sweet foods, not only those that contain sugar, but also those rich in fructose. So, what should be the meal before going to bed, so that adipose tissue does not accumulate, but splits?
Late dinner for weight loss
Today it is already known for sure: to lose weight steadily, you need to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But the food must be right:
- Cereals and fruits can be eaten in moderation, in the morning.
- Sweets should be limited to a minimum and not to eat them later than 12 hours. Or exclude it from the diet for a while, if the goal is to quickly gain slimness.
- Before going to bed, you can only eat lean meat, fish, seafood, and vegetables, except for beets and tomatoes.
More recently, nutritionists recommended that patients wishing to lose weight eat cottage cheese for dinner. But recent studies have shown that this product has a very high insulin index (AI). Therefore, even without the addition of sugar, as a meal before going to bed, they are not indicated for overweight people or diabetics. High AI means that the product causes increased insulin production, although the level of glucose in the blood may not increase. The same properties are also found in other products made from fermented (fermented) milk, for example, yogurt, cream, and sour cream. But cottage cheese has the highest insulin index.
Thus, eating before going to bed and not getting better is quite realistic. But the dinner of a person losing weight or maintaining weight should consist of a small meat steak and a vegetable side dish. Such nutrition will not interfere with the production of somatotropin in any way, and this hormone can burn up to 150 g of adipose tissue within an hour.