Diet Tips: Eat 'This' Not 'That' At Night, Says Ayurveda

Follow these tips and have a nutritious diet and healthy life

We all know that how important it is to have a wholesome breakfast to maintain a healthy body and mind. Various health experts and dietitians across the world have dubbed breakfast as the 'king of all meals'. However, it doesn't mean that other meals like lunch and dinner are not as important. Many people believe that consuming anything post 7 pm may result in weight gain, and generally skip their dinner completely. On the contrary, it may not only hamper the system but also promote weight gain, because 'when' you eat could prove to be as important as 'what' you eat! Yes, you read that right! For the longest time, health experts, including Ayurveda experts, are emphasising on the fact that our dinner should be light, but at the same time, it should be healthy too. There is, of course, a list of foods that one must avoid consuming at night as they create an imbalance in the kaphadosha, as per Ayurveda. In other words, we should steer clear of foods that are high in glycaemic index and comprise simple carbs like fried foods, packaged frozen foods, et al, during night as it may result in weight gain and slowing down of our metabolism. As per Ayurveda, the last part of the day is dominated by kapha; therefore, whatever we eat, must be able to balance kapha and not increase it. There are plenty of Ayurvedic principles you could bring to use.

Also Read: 11 Foods You Must Avoid At Night To Lose Weight Fast

^{Healthy Diet Tips: Avoid eating high glycaemic foods and high carbs at night.}

Here Are Five Ayurvedic Tips For Eating Healthy At Night:

1. Eat foods that are rich in protein at night. Add low-fat chicken (grilled), pulses, lentils, green leafy veggie, and curry leaves to your evening meal. Consuming more protein-rich foods in supper/dinner will keep your digestive system working well.  

2. Consume low-carb foods at night. This is because low-carb foods are digested easily. Eating foods that are heavy at night will hamper your sleep and you may feel light-headed the next day. Include foods like paneer, tofu, lentils, beans, low-fat chicken, etc.

3. Cut salt intake post 7 pm. We know this can be little difficult for some people, but this is very important, especially when you have a party planned. Salt is known to increase the water retention in the body. As we go continue to eat more salt in our meals post 7 pm, we put our heart and blood vessels to a huge risk.

4. Avoid eating curd at night. If you like eating curd with your beloved rajma rice (read brown rice) at night, then it's time you stop doing it. As per Ayurveda, curd increases the kapha dosha - all because dahi or curd has both sour and sweet properties. This creates an imbalance, which may lead to excess mucus development in the nasal passages. 

^{Healthy Diet Tips: Curd increases the kapha dosha - all because dahi or curd has both sour and sweet properties.}

5. Moderation is the key. One must set a limit for the food intake during night. Ayurveda suggests keeping our dinner light as it will help you to have a sound sleep. Additionally, our digestive system is inactive during night, making it difficult for our body to digest heavy food. According to Ayurvedic expert, Dr. Vasant Lad, "Don't eat more at a meal than the amount of food you can hold in two cupped hands. Overeating expands the stomach so that you will feel the need for additional food. Overeating also creates toxins in the digestive tract." Also, give at least a gap of 2-3 hours between your dinner and sleeping time. 

Follow these simple yet effective diet tips by Ayurveda and see the results by yourself.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.