You've probably heard that you should avoid carbs in the evening because you don't need carbs while you sleep. But who said that? And why should we eat a carb-rich diet in the morning, from fruits to oatmeal to croissants, when most of us run from bed straight to the office chair, or sitting in the car? Let's debunk a myth here.
This highly simplified graphic shows how different types of food can cause different types of reactions in our bodies. A high-energy breakfast like muesli with fruit and oats spikes our blood sugar and gives us quick energy for a short time. Why do we eat something like this before we start our workday when most of us sit in the office all day just exercising our fingers on the keyboard?
It really comes down to what your day looks like and what kind of foods you eat. Because a plate of pasta affects your body differently than a big sweet potato.
So if you're not particularly active during the day (and we're not talking about running from meeting room to meeting room here), then it can be beneficial for you to not unnecessarily shovel energy into yourself in the form of carbohydrates that you won't need anyway. If you do your workout or any type of physical activity after work, then your body will thank you for a balanced meal with carbohydrates so that it can recover optimally during the night.
Eating good carbs in the evening can release the hormone serotonin, lower the stress hormone cortisol, and stabilize your blood sugar during the night to allow for a good, deep sleep.
These are just a few reasons, but the key takeaway is that it's a myth to simply believe that carbs in the evening will cause you to gain weight just because you go to bed afterward.
Together with your coach, you will find the right balance for your lifestyle.
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Kevin Clement, Founder Eat better, not perfect.
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