An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Apples do contain a lot of nutrients, but how beneficial they are to your health may depend on when you eat them. According to Eat This, Not That, the phrase dates back to the late 1800s, and the advice was, “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” As it turns out, the recommendation was to specifically eat an apple daily at bedtime.
Apples are loaded with nutrients. For example, 1 medium apple has fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, carotene, and vitamin K (via U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service). The natural sugar in the apple — fructose — will give you a little energy boost without making you feel jittery (via the International Food Information Council Foundation). With this in mind, are there drawbacks linked to eating apples at night?
Should you eat an apple at night?
Apples are a fantastic source of nutrients and fiber, and they can be a significant part of your daily diet. However, some say you should avoid this fruit in the evening, as it may disrupt your sleep, according to The Sun. The best time to eat an apple is in the morning because it can help with your digestion throughout the day. The pectin in apples helps get your liver create bile, enabling you to digest food more efficiently. The Sun recommends eating an apple first thing in the morning before breakfast for this reason.
However, the information from The Sun isn’t supported by any scientific studies. If you don’t experience any digestive issues from eating an apple in the evening, go for it. According to the University of Illinois Extension, apples contain insoluble and soluble fiber. This makes them a great evening snack, as they help push food through the digestive system more quickly. Of course, make sure you eat the peel so you’re getting all the fiber and nutrients.
The Harvard Medical School recommends not eating a large meal 2-3 hours before bed. Eating a small, nutritious snack, such as an apple with a slice of cheese, can tide you over until breakfast.
Source: https://www.healthdigest.com
