Never eat this popular treat at night, it will ruin your sleep
Photo: is it okay to eat chocolate at night (Freepik)
Many people who watch their figure and health choose dark chocolate as a safe alternative to candy.
Onet explains whether you can eat dark chocolate after 6 p.m. and the possible consequences.
The hidden danger of dark chocolate
Well-known Polish sports dietitian Marcin Jackowiak issued a warning that may make you rethink your evening habits. It turns out that even a tiny piece of this dessert before bed can turn your night into a real nightmare.
The main problem with eating dark chocolate in the evening is not its calorie content. According to the expert, the key factor is caffeine.
Dark chocolate contains 0.5 to 2.5 mg of caffeine per serving. If you go overboard and eat a whole bar, your body could receive up to 250 mg of caffeine. That is equivalent to three cups of strong coffee, Jackowiak warns.
For comparison, a standard cup of espresso contains about 65 mg of caffeine. This means that eating chocolate after 6 p.m. effectively “charges” your brain with energy when it should be preparing to rest.
What is a safe caffeine dose?
The European Food Safety Authority recommends that adults do not exceed 400 mg of caffeine per day. However, this is only an average figure. In reality, sensitivity to caffeine is individual and depends on body weight and metabolism.
For many people, even one piece of chocolate in the evening can cause insomnia, anxiety, or shallow sleep, leaving you tired in the morning.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
