The one time you should never eat, according to a leading cardiologist

If you find yourself heading to the kitchen for a snack after dinner, a top heart expert says it’s time to rethink that habit. According to Dr. William Kraus, a preventive cardiologist at Duke Health, eating late at night is one of the most common yet harmful diet traps and it may be silently sabotaging your health and weight-loss goals, as per a Today.com report.

Is Your Late-Night Snack Habit Hurting Your Health?

Dr. Kraus told TODAY.com that, “My No. 1 recommendation to every patient who walks in my office is not to eat after dinner,” as quoted in the report.

The expert has pointed out that those nighttime nibbles may seem harmless, but they often lead to unnecessary calories, poor sleep, and long-term issues like weight gain and heart problems, according to the report.


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Why Eating Timing Matters More Than You Think?

The doctor explained that the food which is consumed late in the day or just before bedtime will only get stored rather than burned for energy, as reported in the Today.com report. He said, “Your body doesn’t need it … so it’s unnecessary calories going in your body. It also interrupts sleep if you eat too close to going to bed,” as quoted in the report.

As per a research, eating at late night is considered to have a higher risk of obesity, high cholesterol and heart disease, and progression of arterial stiffness, because it requires digestion during sleep, a time when the body is used to an overnight fast, as reported by Today.com.

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How Long After Dinner Should You Go To Sleep?

NBC News medical contributor Dr. Natalie Azar has advised to stop eating at least three hours before bedtime because it allows the body to fast overnight and make a metabolic switch where it’s potentially burning fat after exhausting all of its sugar sources when the stomach is empty, as reported by Today.com.

Can Intermittent Fasting Help Your Heart?

American Heart Association has recommended intermittent to protect your heart by controlling inflammation, according to the report.

One of the commonly used method is the 16:8 intermittent fasting, which means that you fast for 16 hours and eat all meals during an eight-hour window that lets you finish your meals early, such as from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or even earlier, according to the Today.com report.

What Should You Eat to Stay Full At Night?

According to the report, to not feel post-meal hunger, it is recommended to eat a filling dinner with plenty of protein, fiber, and other nutrients that will make it a well-balanced dinner, like having Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls, Vegan Black Bean Burgers or Crispy Salmon Rice Bowls.

FAQs

Can intermittent fasting help my heart?
Studies suggest it may reduce inflammation and support cardiovascular health, as per Today.com report.

Will eating late affect my sleep?
Yes, late-night eating can disrupt your sleep by making your body work to digest while you’re resting, as per Today.com report.