And a 2020 study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggests that eating as late as 10 p.m. may negatively impact metabolic parameters, including glucose intolerance and reducing the breakdown of fat.
Late-night eating is not good for you because it can cause indigestion and disrupt your sleep. Eating late at night may also lead to weight gain due to an increase in caloric intake and lack of physical activity.
As long as the number of calories you eat in a day is not more than the calories you burn, eating late won't cause you to gain weight.
But science keeps learning new things about the human body. How many calories you take in, and how much activity you engage in, still matters… a lot. But several studies over the past decade have shown that eating late meals might make it harder to lose weight.
It depends on what and how much you eat, as well as how often. Some research links late-night snacking to weight gain. But some newer studies suggest that a small, nutrient-dense snack may actually have positive health outcomes — and improve your sleep. If you're hungry at night, listen to your body and have a snack.
So when exactly should you stop eating at night? Scientists can't agree on a single set time, but the consensus seems to be within three hours before bedtime. So if you go to bed at 11 p.m., don't eat after 8 p.m. Banishing late night snacks after that time could help alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux disease, too.
Along with weight gain, late-night snacks could adversely affect metabolic health. A 2024 study with over 40,000 participants published in Nutrition & Diabetes, found that eating after 11 p.m. may increase the risk of mortality from cancer and diabetes.
Late night eating can cause heartburn or acid reflux, especially if you lie down after or choose spicy, fatty or fried items. If you eat sugar or carbs late at night, you won't have the chance to burn it off and your body will store those calories as fat.
Calories consumed at night won't change your metabolism or count more than calories consumed during the day. Weight gain and weight loss comes down to a simple math equation, explains Day. “Too many calories taken in versus not enough expended on any given day, regardless of the time, will lead to weight gain.”
So overall, going to bed hungry may help reduce caloric intake and improve insulin sensitivity, it can also lead to poor sleep quality, increased cravings, and a slowed metabolism. The best way to achieve weight loss is through a combination of balanced meals, regular physical activity, and quality sleep.
Eating late won't cause you to gain weight as long as the number of calories you eat during the day is not more than the calories you burn. Foods have the same calories at 10 PM as they do at 6 PM. Weight gain won't occur unless you are consuming more calories in your day than you are burning off.
What's the best time to stop eating before bed? It's best to stop eating about three hours before going to bed. That allows plenty of time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won't disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won't go to bed feeling hungry.
An egg on its own is a nutritious option for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health. Some choose to eat only the egg white and not the yolk, which provides some protein without the cholesterol.
“If you are hungry, you should eat something, regardless of the time of day,” says Aimee Takamura, registered dietitian and director of wellness and sustainability at Restaurant Associates. “The act of eating late at night does not affect metabolism or lead to many of the adverse effects you may have heard of.
Health experts advise against eating a full or heavy meal near bedtime. Consuming a large meal so close to sleeping can affect digestion and sleep quality. Over time, consuming most of a person's daily food intake late in the day can also lead to obesity.
The friction caused by your hair rubbing against the pillow can cause it to break or develop split ends more easily. “In general, wet hair is more fragile and prone to breakage than dry hair,” says Timothy Schmidt, MD, a dermatologist at University of Utah Health.
Beyond its effects on weight gain, eating at a later hour could also have drawbacks for digestion. “Eating close to bedtime or before lying down significantly increases GERD or acid reflux, so for this reason I don't recommend it,” gastroenterologist Caroline Soyka, DO, told Health.
Weight gain may occur due to sleeping after meals. For what reason? If you sleep right after eating, the body will not have enough time to burn the calories, causing fat buildup. Aside from that, the foods you consume before bedtime cannot be used as a source of energy.
Study shows that kidneys get affected when you have late dinner and skip morning meals. Therefore, try these 5 foods which will ensure the smooth functioning of your kidneys.
A 2012 study at Oxford University found that the fat in your food ends up on your waistline in less than four hours. Carbohydrate and protein take a little longer, because they need to be converted into fat in the liver first and it takes nine calories of protein or carbohydrate to make 1g of fat.
Most people are brought up thinking that dinner should be the biggest meal of the day, meaning they opt for a light breakfast and lunch. However, research has found that a smaller dinner and larger lunch could be the key to helping you shift those weight.