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Journalism of Courage
Many people, without even realising, blame carbs or carbohydrates for weight gain, especially when eaten at night. But are carbs really to be blamed for the same? Fitness trainer Ramapriya debunked the myth and elaborated on why there is nothing wrong with consuming carbs at night.
“When consuming carbohydrates at night, does your body turn the food into fat and make you gain weight? The answer is no,” she quipped.
“Our body doesn’t process carbs differently at night. Carbohydrates are converted into glucose for energy and some get stored in your liver and muscle as glycogen. Excess glucose, that your body isn’t able to use right away or convert into glycogen can be stored as fat,” she added.
So, what matters?
*According to Ramapriya, when it comes to fat loss, it is total calories that matter.
“So carb is not the problem here. Eating too much of any food, carbs or otherwise, can result in eating too many calories, and extra calories can get stored as fat. Only if you are eating too many calories will you gain weight. If you are eating within your calorie limit then eating carbs at night wouldn’t matter. You will lose weight,” she said.
Concurred Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, chief clinical dietician, Apollo Hospitals Bangalore, and said that carbohydrates are not as bad as projected. “They are needed by the body at night, as it undergoes most of its repair and recovery while one’s asleep. As such, to repair the body muscles, the body utilises both protein and carbs absorbed as energy sources. By not eating carbs at night, not only are you blocking the cortisol production, but also providing the necessary resources for your body to build muscle and burn fat,” said Dr Rohatgi.
What to be mindful about?
*Remember, avoiding carbs at night won’t work if your portions are still larger than you need.
*Stop demonising carbs as the evil. Anything in excess can make you gain weight, she said.
A gap of one to two hours is always recommended between meals and sleep, experts state. “My suggestion is to avoid simple carbs and focus on complex carbs like whole grains, unpolished grains, millets, and have them 2-3 hours before sleep,” said Dr Rohatgi.
Dr Abhishek Subhash, consultant internal medicine, Bhatia Hospital Mumbai told indianexpress.com in an earlier report that if you have to eat just before bedtime, ensure to have a healthier and light meal. “Most importantly, be aware and mindful of your calorie intake throughout the day so you can balance it accordingly at night. If you already have had enough calories, then it is fine to not have any at night,” he said.
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