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What to Drink at Night to Lose Weight: Six “Working” Drinks

Lose weight, get rid of swelling, and sleep well. Some drinks will help you cope with these processes. For a long time, health experts have agreed that we should limit what we consume to a few hours before bedtime. Eating or drinking before bed will add extra calories and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

While this may be true when you eat a lot shortly before going to bed, researchers have now found that consuming smaller amounts of certain foods (such as protein) may have positive physiological benefits before bed. Therefore, the answer to the question of what to drink before bed to sleep well is very simple.

Accordingly, drinking a soothing drink before bed is not only a relaxing bedtime ritual, but it can also improve your sleep and even help you lose weight – depending on what you drink.

Greek yogurt protein shake

As mentioned above, taking protein before bed, especially if you’ve exercised beforehand, helps stimulate muscle repair (muscle protein synthesis) during sleep. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns.

Dairy products are a particularly convenient source of protein, especially for children.

Milk (warm or cold) contains calcium and tryptophan, which improve sleep quality. Milk also contains two types of milk protein – whey and casein. It is known that bodybuilders consume whey protein after training because it quickly builds muscle mass. However, casein protein is a slow-release protein that is better for building muscle in the long term.

A good source of casein is Greek yogurt. A Greek yogurt shake at bedtime contains a healthy dose of casein protein that provides a steady supply of amino acids for muscle recovery. In addition, a yogurt shake can be a deliciously soothing drink before bed.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile is a well-known sedative, albeit a mild one. (In fact, chamomile is listed as an official drug in the pharmacopeias of 26 countries, including Germany, Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom.) It increases the level of glycine in the body, a neurotransmitter that relaxes the nerves and causes drowsiness. In addition, chamomile is good for indigestion. So, a warm mug of chamomile tea is ideal for relaxing before bed.

Chamomile is also associated with improved glucose control and weight loss. Researchers have identified four compounds in chamomile that together can modulate carbohydrate digestion and sugar absorption.

Red wine

Resveratrol, a well-known antioxidant in red wine, can convert excess white fat in the body into active beige fat that burns energy. But who needs “beige fat”?

Researchers have long believed that there are only two types of fat in the body: white fat, where lipids are stored as energy, and brown fat, which burns lipids to produce heat. Scientists have since discovered beige fat, which is formed from white fat but can burn energy similar to brown fat. Resveratrol can enhance the conversion of white fat to beige fat; at high levels, it can prevent obesity.

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring compound found in red grapes, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and apples. Resveratrol is just one of a number of antioxidants produced by these fruits. These compounds enhance the oxidation of beige fat and burn the excess as body heat.

One glass of red wine before bed will also help you relax. Just don’t overdo it – alcohol in excess of two glasses can disrupt your sleep.

Kefir

Kefir is rich in probiotic bacteria and is a good source of calcium. Kefir has a tart, sharp flavor similar to yogurt, but it has a more liquid consistency than yogurt, so it is more like a drink.

Researchers have suggested that the probiotics in kefir may modulate the gut microbiota, which inhibits lipogenesis and promotes fatty acid oxidation. This, in turn, can reduce body weight and prevent obesity.

Soy-based protein shake

If kefir or Greek yogurt is not to your taste – for example, if you are lactose intolerant or follow a vegan diet – or if you just want to vary your meals a little, a soy-based protein shake can pack a protein punch and also help you lose weight. Researchers have shown that soy protein is just as beneficial as other types of protein as part of a weight loss program.

In addition, soy has been thoroughly studied for its heart-healthy properties. Some researchers have suggested that soy has this cardioprotective effect by reducing body fat. In one weight loss study, researchers showed that soy products instead of other foods reduced body weight and cardiometabolic risk without loss of physical function or strength.

Soybeans are also rich in amino acids, not the least of which is tryptophan, which helps you sleep.

Water

The only problem with all of the drinks listed above is that they all contain at least some calories. Water, on the other hand, contains zero calories, which gives it an advantage over any other beverage in minimizing calorie intake.

In addition, drinking more water is associated with more restorative sleep and less daytime sleepiness. “These results suggest that drinking more water, which is a behavior associated with a number of health benefits, may also be associated with healthy sleep,” wrote researchers in the Journal of Sleep Research, who studied the link between dietary nutrients and sleep symptoms.

Of course, drinking any beverage before bed is a balance between risk and benefit – you can get health benefits, but if you drink too much, you risk waking up with edema.

Drink for edema

What to drink in the morning to avoid swelling? Not only cranberry juice or fruit juice, but also a decoction of the berry leaves is good for removing excess fluid. It is important to prepare the fruit drink without sugar – 1 g of simple carbohydrates retains 4 g of water. The leaves can be brewed like regular tea.

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Written by Emma Miller

I am a registered dietitian nutritionist and own a private nutrition practice, where I provide one-on-one nutritional counseling to patients. I specialize in chronic disease prevention/ management, vegan/ vegetarian nutrition, pre-natal/ postpartum nutrition, wellness coaching, medical nutrition therapy, and weight management.

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