Why and What You Should Eat Before Sleeping at Night for Weight Loss

www.womenshealthmag.com

Eat before going to bed for weight loss? I thought you're not supposed to eat anything right before bedtime! Well, that used to be a tenet of weight loss, but not anymore. Some experts say, you can lose some more weight if you eat right before bedtime.

It's not a must, mind you. If you don't want to, then don't. You can still lose weight another way. But the fact is, there are people who need to eat something, and especially something sweet, before going to bed. Some call it "midnight snack."

What if you're that kind of person?

Then eat fruits, and we're talking particularly about cherries. 

But why cherries?

Cherries are small enough to cram several pieces into your mouth at the same time. This is important because you need to chew your food slowly (chew it at least from 15 to 20 times). That "cheats" your brain into thinking that your tummy is full. Eating cherries and other similarly sized fruits serves this purpose. 

Have you tried putting, say, 30 cherries in your mouth all at once? You can't swallow all that right away, can you? You'd keep chewing them until they become simplified enough for you to easily swallow. And usually you do it slowly, to relish the sweet, delicious fresh cherry flavor, and that could take some half minute to 2 minutes or so. 

After you swallow them, your satiation rate for food goes down because you feel satiated. You feel you've eaten enough, if not a lot, already.

That's why fruits like cherries are ideal for this.

And anyway, cherries are the best among weight loss fruits.

For starters, cherries have very low glycemic index--in fact, the lowest among fruits. Because they read a low 22 score, cherries are ideal as snacks before bedtime. With that low score, they have minimal negative effect on your body's insulin release.

But what if there aren't cherries available around you, like if you're in Manila? Then try grapes or raisins (though raisins have added sugar). 

The better alternative is Kerson Fruit.

Kerson fruit? Is that available in the Philippines? 

Believe it or not, it is. In fact, they grow wild here and you see them almost everywhere. In Cebu and the Ilocos region, it is called mansanitas. In Tagalog, it's aratilis. Now you know what it is, don't you?

Believe it or not, aratilis is a distant relative of cherries and experts believe they have the same nutritional benefits. In fact, aratilis has a cherry-like flavor. I love it red and chilled. Among other health benefits, aratilis cherry is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants (due to its deep red color) and is said to help prevent cancer, inflammation and diabetes, among other diseases. It also helps lower blood pressure.

So, do you crave food at night before bedtime and do you want something delicious that helps your weight loss efforts? Try aratilis. 

I think I'd write another article about Aratilis soon! Is that okay with you?