睡前絕對不能吃零食嗎
It's a familiar scenario in many households: Hours after dinner, the stomach growls and the refrigerator beckons. Some diet experts suggest bedtime snacking leads to weight gain and poor-quality sleep. But is it always a no-no? One registered dietitian, Sharon Hoerr, a professor at Michigan State University's Human Nutrition department, weighs in.
這在許多家庭都是一個常見的情況：晚飯過後幾小時，肚子突然咕嚕咕嚕叫喚起來，冰箱開始誘惑着你。不過，一些飲食專家表示，睡前吃零食會導致體重上升和睡眠質量不佳。那麼，是不是睡前絕對不能吃零食呢？密歇根州立大學(Michigan State University)人類營養學系教授、註冊營養學家莎倫•霍爾(Sharon Hoerr)加入了對這一問題的討論。
The Binge Bulge
暴食增肥 Eating after 8 p.m. may increase the risk of obesity, according to a 2011 study at Northwestern University. A five-year study on weight changes in college students which Dr. Hoerr is working on also suggests that eating late disrupts sleep patterns. 'Our data shows that those who got the most sleep were more likely to maintain a healthy weight,' she says. Researchers still don't know all the reasons why poor sleep is correlated to weight gain.
西北大學(Northwestern University)2011年的一項研究表明，晚上八點後進食可能會加大肥胖風險。霍爾博士展開了一項有關大學生體重變化情況的爲期五年的研究，其研究也表明夜間進食會擾亂睡眠習慣。她說：“我們的數據表明，那些睡眠時間最長的人往往也更能保持健康的體重。”目前研究人員依然尚未了解睡眠不佳與體重增加有關聯的全部原因。
Bad Snacks vs. Good Snacks
糟糕的睡前零食vs.有益的睡前零食 Specific foods, she says, interfere with sleep. Avoid anything high in tyramine, a naturally occurring chemical that helps regulate blood pressure and can keep you awake, at least an hour or two before bedtime, says Dr. Hoerr. This includes aged cheeses, processed meats and soy sauce. High-protein and fatty treats should also be avoided because they take longer to digest. The good news: Some foods, when eaten in small amounts (under 200 calories), may actually aid in quality sleep, and not add inches to the waistline. Unprocessed turkey and nonfat milk are both high in the amino acid tryptophan, which can be converted to serotonin and melatonin -- neurotransmitters that help promote good shut-eye. Foods high in the minerals magnesium (almonds), potassium (bananas) and calcium (low-fat yogurt) encourage muscle relaxation, and are OK to eat before bedtime. 'The glucose in honey is easily digestible and comforting, which explains why a warm cup of milk sweetened with honey might be an ideal bedtime snack,' says Dr. Hoerr.
霍爾博士指出，某些食物會干擾睡眠。至少在睡覺一小時或兩小時前，不要進食任何富含酪胺的食品，這種自然產生的化學物質有助於調節血壓，會讓你保持清醒。此類食品包括陳年奶酪、加工肉製品和醬油等。此外，也不要進食高蛋白和脂肪含量高的食品，因爲它們需要的消化時間比較長。好消息是，某些食物，如果進食量較少的話（低於200卡路里），實際上或許還有助於優質睡眠，而且它們也不會讓你的腰身變粗。未經加工的火雞肉和脫脂牛奶均富含色氨酸，它可轉化爲血清素和褪黑激素，而這些神經傳遞素可促進良好睡眠。此外，富含鎂（杏仁）、鉀（香蕉）和鈣（低脂酸奶）這些礦物質的食物有助於放鬆肌肉，所以在睡前吃這些東西沒問題。霍爾博士說：“蜂蜜中的葡萄糖容易消化且讓人感覺舒適，所以一杯加了蜂蜜的溫牛奶會是理想的睡前零食。”Teenagers: The Exception
例外人羣：青少年
When teens hit their growth spurt, they almost can't eat enough, says Dr. Hoerr. 'This is when you see an 11-year-old boy consuming more than the active man of the house,' she says. 'He should have extra snacks, like those suggested. The snack should be finished more than an hour before he goes to sleep.'
霍爾博士稱，青少年在迅速長身體時幾乎總是吃不夠。她說：“在這個階段你會發現11歲男孩的食量比家裏的壯勞力還要大，他可以額外吃些零食，比如我們建議的那些零食，但他應該在睡前一小時以上就把它們吃完。”
Eat Early, Not Late
儘早進食 How can you kick a late-night eating habit? Try breakfast. 'If you don't eat too close to bedtime, by morning, your liver has fully processed the sugar and fat and protein and your appetite is stimulated,' she says. Many of Dr. Hoerr's overweight patients report to not eating anything until 3 p.m. and then they'll cram in thousands of calories by midnight. Invariably, their sleep quality is disrupted, and they put on more weight.
如何才能擺脫深夜吃東西的習慣？你可以嘗試吃早餐。霍爾博士說：“如果你沒在過於接近睡覺時間的時候吃東西，到了早晨你的肝臟就會完全處理掉糖分、脂肪和蛋白質，你的胃口會被調動起來。”她有許多超重病人都表示，他們在下午三點之前不吃任何東西，然後到了半夜大量攝入數千卡路里的熱量。長此以往，他們的睡眠質量會遭到破壞，而且他們還會長胖。
