QuickCheck: Does eating late at night make you fat?

You’ve probably heard the age-old warning: “Don’t eat after 8pm or you’ll gain weight!”

Late-night snacking has earned a bad reputation, often blamed for increasing the scales and sabotaging diets.

From your parents to your fitness-junkie friend, they swear by this rule.

However, is there any truth to this claim, or is it just another food myth that refuses to die?

Could enjoying a midnight snack really be the killer for your waistline, or is it more complicated than that?

VERDICT:

FALSE

According to UAMS Health, the time you consume food does not inherently cause you to gain weight.

What counts is how many calories you consume compared to how many you burn.

If you consume more calories than your body requires, it will lead to weight gain regardless of whether you eat early in the morning or at 10pm.

However, late-night eating is commonly associated with unhealthy habits.

People often grab for high-calorie snacks such as chips, cookies, or ice cream.

These kinds of foods are easy to indulge in and may quickly send you into a calorie surplus, resulting in weight gain.

Late-night snacking can also disrupt the quality of your sleep, and poor sleep is closely linked to weight gain and other health issues.

Another crucial issue to consider is your body’s internal clock, often referred to as the circadian rhythm.

Eating late in the evening might affect your metabolism, causing your body to store fat rather than burn it.

Eating closer to bedtime may also make digestion more difficult, thus reducing the quality of your sleep.

While the timing of your meals may play a minor role in weight management, the more important factor is your overall calorie balance and the types of food you consume.

According to research, eating the majority of your calories early in your day may be beneficial since your body breaks down and metabolises food faster when you’re active.

So, does eating late at night cause you to put on weight? Not always.

If you keep to portion control and be mindful about how nutrient-dense your food choices are, a late-night snack will not undermine your efforts.

Bottom line? It’s not about the hour of the day that you ear; it’s about the number of calories and the quality of the food you consume.

Eat consciously, remain active, make balanced decisions, and you’ll be fine!