For years we have grown up hearing a thousand and one times that bread got fat and that, in addition, the worst thing we could do was eat it at night before going to sleep. In fact, so established in the imaginary is this phrase that one of the first things people do when they go on a regimen is to eliminate bread from their diet.
But no matter how much one thing is repeated, it does not always become reality and, the scientific studies that have been done about it have shown time and again that eating bread does not make you fat as they said and that it can even be eaten at night. If you still wonder if it makes you fat to eat bread at night in the following article of you can find the answer, as well as some tips on what to eat at night.
Does eating bread at night make you fat?
For many years an injustice has been committed with bread, blaming it for things that have no reason or foundation. It must be said clearly once and for all: eating bread at night does not make you fat, at least, it does not do it on its own or in any circumstance.
Carbohydrates, among which we count bread, is one of the basic pillars of the food pyramid. The food group in which starches, cereals and legumes are found should occupy up to 50% of the daily energy of our body. The fact that in recent years, diets have eliminated carbohydrates from our dishes in the wrong way, has been creating the myth that eating bread makes you fat and even more if it is done at night. Carbohydrates alone do not make you fat, it makes you fat to consume more calories than our body burns, so if we adjust to our energy requirements there does not have to be any problem.
In short, it does not make you fat to eat bread for dinner, it will only do it if we do it in excess, exactly as it happens with the rest of food. If we take into account that bread is usually used as an accompaniment, the mistake that many people make at dinner time is to exceed in the rest of the food and not in the bread itself.
Is white bread fatter than wholemeal?
Another frequent doubt regarding the consumption of bread is in what type of form it is healthier for the body and which one makes you fatter. The bread of mold and the traditional, the bar, are at the center of the controversy so below we will explain which is the one that makes you fatter more.
To begin with, we must say that both breads are made with the same ingredients, that is, salt, water, yeast and flour. However, in order for the bread to have the texture and flavor that characterizes it, as well as so that it can be preserved for more days, additives, fats and sugars have to be added that make it a product not as healthy as the typical bread.
It must be said that at the level of calories, those provided by both breads are very even, however, the difference that makes the mold fatten more is because it has almost 4 grams of fat per 100 grams while the white barely reaches 1.6 grams.
Is white bread fatter than whole meal?
This is another myth about bread that should be broken, although with some qualms. How many times have you heard that it is much better to eat whole wheat bread than white bread if you want to lose weight? Really, if you look in terms of calories whole wheat bread has more than white bread. Despite that, it is always better to consume it whole for the reasons that we will explain below.
Whole wheat bread provides us with a greater amount of minerals, vitamin and fiber, which regulates blood glucose levels longer and satisfies our appetite for a longer time. This means that, although it is more caloric, it prevents us from eating everything we find ahead. On the other hand, whole grain varieties help us fight constipation or cholesterol, so, as a whole, it is better than white bread.
What to have dinner at night so as not to get fat
It is not the same to eat at night, eat in the morning or do it during the day. Food does not act the same in our body and, in the same way, our body does not digest them the same. In the night hours our body begins to work more slowly, preparing for sleep, which makes food not digested as easily.
On the other hand, our activity is also less once it gets dark. At those times we do not usually practice activities with physical wear, so our energy need is much lower. Thus, consuming more food than necessary is one of the main reasons why we do not rest properly and gain weight without us noticing it.
The problem with many people is that they make the opposite mistake, that is, not having dinner. This habit, contrary to what it might seem, makes us also gain weight. So, what is the right answer? As always, the success lies in moderation: a light dinner. But as this light is a rather ambiguous term and there are foods that at first are healthy but are not recommended at night then we will explain what to have to eat at night so as not to get fat:
- You should eat foods that have animal protein, yes, that do not contain much fat. A good example is white fish, chicken breast or turkey. On the other hand, you should know that the way you cook them is very important. In this case it must be grilled.
- Vegetables: as long as they are steamed.
- Dairy: as long as they are skimmed. Good examples are yogurt, fresh cheese or skimmed milk.
On the other hand, there are certain foods that you should not eat for dinner:
- Fats: they are the most fattening and hinder digestion.
- Fiber: they take time to digest and can cause indigestion.
- Frying: they contain a lot of fat, which makes them heavy foods.
- Carbohydrates: it is a case similar to that of bread. Pasta or rice is best taken during the day, but we can have a small dish for dinner.
- Salad: especially lettuce is a very difficult food to digest that can lead to problems at night, with gas and bloating.
For more information, in the following article of we explain what are the best foods for dinner.
