HealthBBC

Are you an evening snacker? What you need to know

About a third of people snack every night after dinner, and experts say biology, habit and the brain's reward system are mostly to blame.

There are biological reasons why you may reach for sweet treats before bed, but you can change the habit.

The Long Sip
What happened

Researchers and dietitians have explained why so many of us raid the kitchen after dinner, even when we are already full.

The detail

The hunger hormone ghrelin peaks in the evening and is not suppressed by lunch or dinner the way it is by breakfast, experts at the University of Bath say.

What it means

Eating a protein and fibre-rich evening meal and breaking the TV-snacking habit can help, since our craving for high-fat foods is strongest later in the day.

For you

Eating meals rich in protein and fibre can help reduce evening cravings, and experts suggest breaking the TV-snacking habit by changing your setting.

Full story at BBC

What readers are saying

juney1955
Dr Beaulieu makes a good point about the hedonic drive overriding fullness signals when we want high-fat foods at night. Planning ahead and keeping healthier options ready seems to be the main takeaway for breaking that routine.
Monika
Biology drives evening cravings, but routines can be changed.
rangir
Does the research say how many weeks it takes to break the habit of evening snacking once cues like the television are removed?
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