Most people exercise certain poor eating habits that are often detrimental to their health. One of these poor eating habits is eating a light breakfast and settling for a heavy supper. You may have noticed that it is difficult to get a peaceful night's rest with a full stomach. This is why nutritionists advocate taking lighter meals at night. As you'll learn in this article, eating fruits at night is one of the healthiest options – not only for a peaceful sleep but also for the general wellbeing of your gut. In this article, we will explore some of the best fruits to eat at night.

9 Best Fruits to Eat at Night

The following are some of the fruits that are recommended for your consumption, especially at night. Though our list is not exhaustive, these 9 fruits are among the most nutritious to eat before you head to bed. Both low in calories and high in health benefits, these fruits will help you get the good night's sleep you've been longing for.

1. Citrus

Citrus has a high acidic content. It is also one of those fruits that enhances the process of digestion. Eating citrus at night speeds up the process of digestion and improves your quality of sleep. However, remember to always clean your teeth after eating citrus, as the acid can damage your enamel.

2. Kiwi

Kiwis are sweet and nutritious fruits. Not only are they rich in vitamin C, but just two kiwi fruits pack only about 93 calories when peeled. Studies have shown that kiwis can help reduce the duration it takes to sleep by up to 35%. Kiwis are also one of the few fruits with a rich measure of serotonin, a hormone with a well-known relaxing effect. This also helps you sleep faster.

3. Banana

Bananas are known for their high potassium and magnesium content – both of which are good for a healthy heart. These nutrients are natural muscle relaxants. Bananas also have amino acids such as tryptophan which is used to synthesize a hormone called serotonin and melatonin – both of which are sleep-inducing hormones. A typical banana contains around 105 calories with about 14.5g of sugar.

4. Tart Cherry

Cherries are natural sources of the sleep hormone called melatonin. One study investigated the mechanism of tart cherry juice when used to treat insomnia. At the end of the study, it was found out that those who drank tart cherry juice slept an extra one and a half hours when compared to placebo groups.

5. Pistachios

Although there are several fruits that produce melatonin, only a few produce as much melatonin as pistachios. About 28 grams of pistachios contains as much as 6.5 milligrams of melatonin and about 160 calories. Usually, sleep experts recommend that you only need between 0.5mg and 5mg of melatonin to fall asleep faster. The 6.5mg in pistachios makes it an excellent fruit to eat at night.

6. Grapes

Grapes enhance the natural sleep-wake cycle because they are rich in melatonin – the sleep-regulating hormone. Adding it to your diet means you are boosting your natural sleeping process. It is also rich in calcium and other nutrients.

7. Pears

Pears are among the best fruits to eat at night. They are a good choice for those who want to cut down weight because they contain fewer calories and less sugar. They also have a low fiber content. Pears are the typical bedtime snacks.

8. Strawberries

Strawberries are a go-to option for those who want to eat something that does not pack a lot of calories. They have a significant amount of melatonin and are also an excellent source of vitamin C. On average, the recommended caloric intake at night should not exceed 200 calories. 1 cup of strawberries weighing about 166g contains just 53 calories.

9. Apple

A medium-sized apple has about 95 calories and about 19g of sugar. Apples are rich in fiber and will help prevent midnight hunger. The fiber also helps in the digestion of foods eaten earlier in the day and improves water retention (meaning fewer trips to the bathroom at night). They are also a rich source of potassium and vitamin B6, both of which are well-known sleep aids.

Tips for Eating Fruit Before Bed

When eating fruit before bed, we recommend you follow our scientifically proven tips to help prevent unnecessary health issues like weight gain, digestive disorders, and insomnia.

1. Don'ts

• Don't eat fruit too close to bedtime

You should not form the habit of eating too close to bedtime. Do so at least 2 hours before you sleep to allow time for most of the digestion to occur.

• Don't eat fruit canned in sugary syrup

Canned in sugary syrup fruits are loaded with added sugars and this may not be a good idea for a snack, especially when you are cutting down on weight. The added sugar may also damage your teeth over time if you don't always clean your teeth before bed.

• Don't eat too much at once

Everything should be rationed. Overeating will not only affect our sleep but will also affect your weight and affect the functioning of your organs – both in the short term and in the long term.

2. Do's

• Track your caloric intake

It is recommended that you eat no more than 200 calories at night. Use a calorie tracker to help you monitor the number of calories you are consuming.

• Take fruits with other foods high in protein and fiber

Studies have shown that eating proteins at night is associated with increased muscle mass and less body fat. Fibre also helps to boost the process of digestion.

• Choose different kinds of fruits

Diversifying the kinds of fruits ensures that you eat different flavors with different nutrition values.

Summary

Eating healthy is an art. Most people don't prefer adhering to the recommended guidelines, especially when it comes to eating fruits at night. Nevertheless, you should always include fruits in your list of bedtime snack choices. Fruits require less digestion are highly effective at cleansing your system. For a summary of the best fruits to eat at night, check out this useful video: