What are the dangers of taking very late supper and what is the best time to have diner? Mugisha

Dear Mugisha,

Eating supper very late is not healthy and comfortable either. Every person does experience some feeling of abdominal fullness or discomfort, difficulty in falling asleep, e.t.c. problems after having supper late in the evening.

Having a late night dinner or snacks upsets the system of the body. The digestive system does not function adequately because as per the body’s biological clock it is supposed to rest at night. Hence the food is not digested sufficiently leading to flatulence. Bowels also move sluggishly resulting in constipation. After eating late in the evening, one also suffers from acid reflex causing burning pain in the chest and nausea at times.

The body’s metabolism is also slow in the evening and night as compared to day time. Hence nutrients consumed are not assimilated adequately and calories consumed are not burnt. This results in malnutrition and obesity.

If one eats late in the evening regularly then the cycle of hunger, appetite and eating is also disturbed. Thus an individual may not feel hungry early in the evening or even day time and not eat adequately. In fact if a person does not eat sufficiently during day time, he is likely to eat more or take a heavy meal in the night before sleeping. Blood sugar levels also fluctuate between low and high, after having a late night supper, which deranges the sugar metabolism. This is more harmful for diabetic patients.

Considering these harmful effects of eating late in the evening, it is advisable to avoid it. The evening meal should be taken at least 2 hours before sleeping. This gives ample time for the food to be digested and assimilated. It also provides the much needed rest to the digestive system. If at all a person feels hungry or craves to eat something in the night, it is better to have a light snack in small quantity or night cap like fresh fruit juice or soup.