The Whole Truth About Eating Food Before Sunset

Two words that are trending these days are midnight snacks. After a long day, watching a movie along with comfort food at night seems to relieve our stress and we enjoy it thoroughly. Food delivery platforms have made it even more convenient to order junk food even at midnight, let alone dinner time. But have we ever considered what toll eating food late at night could take on our body? Ayurveda firmly suggests that the best time to eat dinner is before sunset and for very scientific reasons. 

Reasons for Eating Food Before Sunset

The sun has a lot to do with our body’s digestive system. With the rising of the sun, our digestive system works incredibly well and with the lowering of it, the release of digestive juices also reduces. This is the reason we should eat food before sunset as post-sunset meals are harder to digest, thus forming toxins in the body and causing numerous digestive issues such as bloating and constipation. We must try to keep our gut healthy as most of the chronic diseases are caused due to an unhealthy gut. When we eat late at night, we do not move as much and our metabolism is also slowed down, which is another reason for eating food before sunset. It is not a commonly known fact that late night snacks affect the sleep cycle. Observe how eating late makes it difficult for you to fall asleep and you tend to wake up multiple times at night. It also increases the possibility of you having to wake up at night to urinate or even excrete the waste. 

Effect of Different Food Items on the Body

Devouring too much spice at night can cause disruption in your sleep and digestion process and could cause irregular sleep and heartburn. This is why one should stay away from spicy food when you are not eating food before sunset. Food items which are high in fat may taste delicious but are utterly unhealthy especially when devoured at night as they get stored in the digestive tract, causing health issues. Therefore, it is best to dump pizzas, burgers, and other high-fat food items at night. It is no secret that caffeine hinders the relaxation process and makes it difficult for you to fall asleep. Not just coffee but many food items also contain caffeine; so, make sure to eat such foods before sunset.

You should know what is healthy eating and how can do it. Although eating food before sunset is the best time to eat for a healthy gut, a lot of people might suffer to maintain it due to the fast-paced life. Night-shifts and late-night studies are common occurrences in today’s world and they leave us with no choice but to eat food late at night. So, if you fall in the category of such people, let us see what you can do to boost your digestion and prevent yourself from falling prey to the after-sunset food-eating gut issues. 

Tips to Digest Post-Sunset Meal

• Combine Rock Salt and Ginger

While the best time to eat is before sunset, if you cannot adhere to eating food before sunset, the sacred combination of rock salt and ginger can effectively help you as it prompts the digestive system to work efficiently. Simply take a small piece of ginger, add a pinch of rock salt, and chew it. Upon proper chewing, ingest it. This reignites the digestive fire which fades with the gradual setting of the sun. The combination of rock salt and ginger works wonders as it becomes the catalyst for secretion of digestive juices, which help in digesting when you are unable to eat food before sunset. 

• Right Nostril Breathing / Surya Bheda Pranayama

Yogic breathing was firmly followed in ancient India. With the passage of time, we forget about these incredible practices which come with immense health benefits. It is time for reviving one of the best breathing practices for better digestion of food eaten post sunset. Transform your body and mind with these yoga poses. Performing surya bheda pranayama or right nostril breathing before late dinner for only 30 seconds can work wonders in reigniting the digestive fire. To perform this, use your ring finger to close your right nostril and breathe deep. Remember to hold your breath for a few seconds and exhale using your left nostril. This simple pranayama has surprisingly effective results, therefore we highly recommend it.

• Mindful Eating

In today’s age of technology, most young adults and teenagers are habitual to watch videos or movies while having their dinner. While it could be perceived as a way of relieving boredom, eating your dinner shouldn’t come off as boring and should rather be done mindfully. Mindful eating helps you reap the most out of the health benefits that your food has to offer. So, from now on, whether it is the best time to eat dinner or not, keep your phone and other gadgets away as you have your delicious dinner.

• Post-Dinner Walk

It is common to witness people going to bed immediately after having their dinner at an hour which isn’t the best time to eat. This could be satisfying but does not come without ill-effects. To prevent digestive issues, make sure to take at least 500 steps slowly post dinner. If you do not feel like walking due to any reason, practicing Vajrasana is a great alternative as it helps immensely in properly digesting the food. Performing this asana for just 10 minutes can show incredible results as it increases the blood flow towards the area of your stomach, thus aiding digestion. What is surprising is how convenient performing vajrasana is. You can do it any time, any where, be it while using your gadgets or conversing with family and friends. 

• Maintain a Gap Between Eating and Sleeping

Maintaining at least a 2-hour gap between your dinner and sleeping is essential for preventing occurrence of digestive issues. Another hack is to sleep on the left side as it keeps the digestive system active by making you breathe with the right nostril. This also prevents acidity and aids in efficient digestion. 

Conclusion

As preached by many fitness enthusiasts, ayurvedic experts, and even celebrities like Akshay Kumar, the best time to eat dinner is before sunset as consuming food before sunset is the way to great health. Eating dinner post sunset is the worst thing you can do for your body as the digestive system slows down with the setting sun. As a lot of us are leading lives which makes it difficult to adhere to this suggestion of only eating before sunset, there are numerous ways you can aid your digestion and ensure prevention of digestive issues. While practicing a few of the aforementioned tips can ensure relief, you may undertake all of them as well if you aren’t adhering to the best time to eat. Start by consuming the combination of rock salt and ginger, followed by performing surya bheda pranayama or right nostril breathing for nearly 10 times. Then comes the turn of the best part—eating your dinner! Ignore all gadgets and eat your dinner mindfully. Indulge completely and pay attention to your food and ingestion. A lot of us eat emotionally and end up consuming more food than our body requires. Eating a small dinner will relieve you from starvation, provide you with nutrients, and prevent digestive issues, all at the same time. Therefore, we recommend having a small dinner in case you are not having food before sunset as having it after sunset is not the best time to eat dinner. Once you are done with enjoying your dinner, slowly walk for a few minutes or perform vajrasana to ensure proper digestion of food. Make sure you do not sleep immediately after having your meal. Maintain a gap of around 2 hours between your dinner and sleep; and when you do end up sleeping, sleep on the left side to ensure active digestion. 

In addition to the aforementioned tips, consuming the carefully curated Auric Weight Balance Juice could tremendously aid in the digestion process. Consuming this drink regularly will ensure numerous health benefits including increased metabolism, reduced weight, effective detox, and regulation of fat and cholesterol. Its ability to help the process of digestion comes from the presence of beetroot which actively promotes digestion. Along with beetroot, it contains numerous ayurvedic herbs like garcinia cambogia, cumin, and turmeric, and is made using coconut water due to the immense health benefits that it provides. Unlike other health juices, Auric ayurvedic juices are delicious to taste. Auric Weight Balance Juice tastes of nimbu pani, making it a desired choice for people looking to prevent or cure digestive issues and rev up their movement on the weight loss journey. Reap the top 5 Benefits of Auric’s Weight Loss Drink and get this ayurvedic juice delivered to your doorsteps and witness your life changing for better!

Authored By : Poorvi Chhajer

About Author : Poorvi is a psychology graduate with a knack for writing and belief in ayurveda.