When we talk about snacking in the evening, we think of that chocolate bar, that tub of ice cream or even that packet of candy that you will open in front of a movie, after having dinner. If you really need that late snack because you’re hungry, know that it could be less harmful to your health if you choose it well. The Eating Well Review takes stock of studies and an interview with an American dietician, Kelsey Kunik, to advise you on what to eat.
First, snacking outside meals is not ideal if you’re trying to pay attention to your line. On the other hand, eating in the evening before bed can have a negative impact on your ability to sleep, leading to acid reflux, difficulty digesting. And in fact, could disturb your sleep, waking you up repeatedly during the night.
According to a study of 2018 quoted by the site Eating Well, Eating a heavy meal before bed is not a good idea, especially if you suffer from insomnia, but late snacks are not discouraged, as long as they are light, if you are one of those who wake up with a hollow stomach at night.
Choosing the right foods for the evening snack
In fact, it all depends on what you choose to eat, rebounds the dietician interviewed. She reminds us of the obvious: spicy foods are not a good idea, nor are sweets or anything that contains caffeine.
The goal is to find things that don’t tax the digestive system too much, like a bowl of oatmeal with banana and almond butter, she advises. She also suggests eating nuts, which provide tryptophan, or moving towards foods rich in magnesium and melatonin which could help you sleep better. Faced with the chocolate bar, opt instead for a bowl of Greek yogurt with red fruits, or a whole grain cracker with a little hummus.
Eating in the evening could even have certain advantages, if we are to believe the studies to which Eating Well refers: Snacking could allow some people to avoid waking up in the middle of the night with a craving. Or even maintain blood sugar levels throughout the night, as revealed by a 2022 study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritionwho questioned the value of eating a little before sleep to control nighttime blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
Sources: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Eating Well, PubMed