Fruit is a treasury of health nutrients; all types of fruit are made of precious compounds. They contain a lot of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and other useful material our body needs on a regular basis. Every nutrition expert would suggest you eat fruit on a daily basis. Fruits have to be included in your regular diet plan, for sure, because they provide your body with material it cannot produce on its own.
Moreover, fruits promote digestion and metabolism; they cleanse your intestines and help your body get free of various toxins. Fruit is important for our general well-being, both for our looks and our health. We would never have a perfect skin or hair, if we don’t consume fruits regularly. Our immune system should also thank those nature gifts for its improvement and good resistance to diseases and other harm.
Eating fruits would benefit our body, but you need to have a well balanced diet plan that includes all types of food and nutrients. You won’t remain healthy if you have only fruits, no matter how nutritional and beneficial they are. As for other types of food, moderation is a must. Fruit in general is usually recommended as a good choice for snack or a part of a breakfast. You would rarely hear it is advised to have it before bed.
However, it is not a bad idea, if you generally have good eating habits and don’t go overboard, of course.
On the other hand, not all sorts of fruits are good at bedtime. Some of them are quite heavy and sugary, which is not dangerous if you mind the amounts and eat it during the day. Too much sugar is bad, you surely know that. It could disrupt your digestion and get you stomach ache, diarrhea, bloating and other issues that would make your sleep a disaster. Too much sugar, even natural, fruit sugar, lead to other health problems, such as diabetes, obesity and other. There is a nutrition move, to say so, called frutarianism; individuals that follow such a diet plan eat only fruit.
Some researches have shown their organisms got to a condition as they were twenty years older than their real age, due to lack of other nutrients and excessive amounts of fruit sugar and vitamins, as well.
Pros and cons of eating fruit before bed
So, having a chunk or piece of some juicy, delicious fruit before bed wouldn’t necessarily do you bad, if you keep it in moderation. Opinions are quite divided on the subject. It is true it could affect your sleep, your digestion and your body weight.
However, if you choose wisely and don’t get voracious, you still may benefit from such a healthy bite before bed. As some experts suggest, fruit is super healthy in general and there is no particular part of day it should be forbidden or such. There are some tips, of course, considering other meals and how would you combine it with fruits.
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A healthy bedtime snack
If you crave for something sweet late at night, after you’ve finished your dinner or you prepare to go to bed, it is far better you opt for a juicy chunk of melon or a delicious apple, rather than a piece of cake, a chocolate cookie or ice cream, for example. Fruits are much lower in calories, but they are sweet, so your desire for sugar would be efficiently sedated. In addition, fruits contain vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, which are all beneficial to our overall health. Fruits are not fatty, so they are far better to your cardiovascular health than common sweet treats. It is better for your waistline, as well. Mind you eat only fresh and pure fruit, not fruity products or fruit flavored sweets. Canned fruits, preserves and such are not on the list of good evening snacks, no matter what percent of real fruit they contain. Try unsweetened non-fat yogurt with fresh blueberries, instead of commercial sugary and fatty one, for example.
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A weight gain risk
A bite of some juicy fruit before bed won’t actually cause you any serious weight gain issues; compared to other treats, fruits are benign. However, no matter of their calorie content, fruits could cause you gain weight, if you have them at bedtime, in larger amounts. It is of a vital importance to mind your daily calorie intake. Good, nutritional, calorie calculated and balanced diet plan is a key to good health and a perfect waistline. So, any extra calories in the evening are a potential risk for weight gain, no matter they come from healthy fruits or snacks. While fruits are indeed much lower in calories generally, a row of chocolate and a medium banana both equals about 100 calories, for example. We’re sure you got the point!
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Digestive issues
Eating a small portion of fruits at bedtime won’t do you bad if you doesn’t have particularly sensitive belly and keep to good eating habits. You should, however, avoid citric fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit or pineapples, since they are very high in acids, which may cause you stomach issues of various types. People who suffer from problematic digestive conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, fructose malabsorptin or irritable colon syndrome should completely avoid eating fruit before bed; they usually need to limit the amount or particular group of fruits in general. If you have a sensitive bowels, having even a piece of fruit before you lie down would most likely get you stomach ache and disturb your sleep, so it is best you avoid it completely.
Beneficial bedtime fruit bites
So, it’s all about moderation and awareness of your organisms particular needs. If you suffer from sensitive bowels, you surely don’t want to eat something that would cause you greater problems late at night and disturb your sleep, as well. If you are hungry or crave for sweets at night, it is better to choose fruits over commercial treats and snacks, on the other hand.
Just keep in mind different fruits contain different number of calories and levels of nutrients. A few bites could be beneficial and even help you sleep better, without going to bed with an empty stomach. Here are a couple of good bedtime fruit snack suggestions.
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Apples
Apples are some of the most common fruits around the world and they are considered super healthy and beneficial. Many nutritional experts would say you could eat them any time you like. Apples are often considered a rare fruit you could eat just after you’ve finished your lunch, without causing you digestive problems, on the contrary. They contain a lot of vitamins, which all help your body gets recovered and revitalize it. A good proportion of vitamins from apples keeps your body satisfied and allows it to relax and recharge while you sleep, so you would sleep better.
In addition, apples boost metabolism and make your body burn more calories while you sleep, without disturbing your dreams. Moreover, apples are low in calories, they are not sugary as some other types of fruits and they are not acidic as others. If you calculate your daily calorie intake well, a medium, 72-calorie apple would perfectly fit in your plan and you could safely eat it before bed. It will keep you full and help you have quality sleep.
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A couple of walnuts
Walnuts are extremely high in calories, but they are an amazing treasury of valuable nutrients, at the same time. They contain melatonin, an enzyme very important for our sleep. Walnuts are a good choice if you get hungry before you go to bed, but you want to have a healthy and beneficial snack.
Therefore, a couple of walnuts would be sufficient. Just make sure you really had just a few of them, minding your daily calorie intake.
