RULE:
Don't EVER eat late at night.
or... for the more specific, controlling, hard-nosed version of that RULE:
Don't eat after 7:00p.m.
Guess what, folks? THIS IS JUST NOT TRUE! It is a MYTH! Want to know why? Ok... I'll tell you. :)
Unsurprisngly, a calorie is a calorie no matter WHEN it is consumed. If you eat a banana at 9:00a.m. instead of 9:00p.m.- the banana still has the exact same amount of calories and nutrients. Furthermore, your body recognizes those calories and nutrients in the exact same way no matter the time of day. Your metabolism maintains the same rate throughout the day, and so the theory that your body has a harder time metabolizing food at night is an extreme falacy.
Now, with that said, those who promote this theory DO have a few good, noteworthy points when it comes to consuming calories late in the evening. First of all, people are more likely to over-indulge at night and/or dinner due to not having eaten a full meal since lunch. To combat this problem, it is a really great idea to eat a late-afternoon snack; this way, your body isn't in starvation mode once dinner rolls around. Also, because people usually feel like the major meals have been checked off the list previously in the day, "snacking" seems to be the most popular method of choice for those who are wanting a little more after dinner. Unfortunately, snacking has a pretty negative association with foods such as ice cream, chips, cookies, cake, and any and every high calorie "food" you can think of! A good "snacking" alternative to the common snack food would be a handful (or about 1/4th cup) or almonds. The source of "good fats" in nuts should satisfy your craving for food while aiding in you feeling full for the evening!
Now... don't go crazy at night with the food! Just be aware of the numerous misconceptions about your diet and nutrition. I hope this was insightful!
Have a GREAT Tuesday, everyone!
Bethany
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