As a seafood lover, I adore a good shrimp dish and often find myself craving juicy shrimp tacos or garlicky shrimp scampi in the evening. However I recently came across some information suggesting that eating shrimp at night may not actually be ideal due to potential digestive issues. This surprised me, so I decided to take a deeper look into the reasons why late night shrimp might not sit well with some people.
In this article, I’ll break down the main drawbacks that can sometimes occur when eating shrimp in the evening and provide tips on how to enjoy shrimp more comfortably after dark
Potential Reasons Eating Shrimp at Night Could Be Problematic
There are a few key factors that contribute to why shrimp as delicious as it is may lead to unwanted digestive symptoms like bloating. heartburn. or indigestion when eaten close to bedtime
High Fat Content
One of the biggest potential pitfalls of nighttime shrimp is its high fat content. A 3 ounce portion of cooked shrimp contains about 0.5 grams of fat, particularly saturated fat.
Fat takes longer for the stomach to break down than protein or carbs. Eating fatty foods like shrimp too close to lying down makes it more likely for the fat to sit heavy in the stomach, potentially leading to acid reflux, belching, and general indigestion.
Cholesterol Content
In addition to fat, shrimp is also high in dietary cholesterol – about 161 milligrams per 3 ounce serving. That’s over half the recommended 300 mg daily limit.
Too much cholesterol near bed makes it harder for the body to metabolize properly. The excess cholesterol may contribute to nighttime heartburn and interfere with sleep quality.
High Sodium Content
Shrimp tends to be pretty salty, with a 3 ounce serving providing about 470 milligrams of sodium. That’s over 20% of the daily 2300 mg limit.
Consuming salty, briny foods near bed can trigger fluid retention and bloating overnight, leaving you feeling puffy in the morning. The sodium can also exacerbate heartburn.
Prone to Digestive Upset
Some people’s stomachs are just more sensitive to shrimp and other seafood, especially later in the day. Many people report shrimp causing gas, stomach gurgling, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal issues.
This may be due to mild shellfish allergies or intolerance to byproducts like iodine, histamine, or natural toxins that can be present in shrimp. Eating it when your digestion naturally starts slowing down for sleep tends to make problems worse.
Tips for Enjoying Shrimp at Night More Comfortably
If you’re prone to indigestion or sleep disturbances when eating shrimp in the evening, don’t despair! Here are some tips to help you continue enjoying shrimp even after dark:
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Opt for grilled or boiled. Dry cooking methods like grilling, broiling, or boilingcut down on extra fat and calories compared to frying or sautéing in oil.
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Limit portion size. Stick to a single serving size of 4-6 ounces shrimp maximum to prevent indulging in excessive cholesterol, sodium or fat right before bed.
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Avoid heavy sauces or oils. Skip the shrimp scampi drowned in butter and garlic. Steer clear of high fat cocktail sauces. Stick to lighter seasonings like lemon, herbs, or spice rubs.
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Eat earlier in the evening. Try to eat your shrimp dinner at least 3-4 hours before lying down. This allows more time for digestion before sleep.
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Have a small snack before bed. If eating a bigger meal with shrimp earlier, a tiny bedtime snack of crackers, oatmeal, or yogurt can help soak up excess acid and prevent reflux.
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Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before and after eating shrimp to aid digestion and reduce sodium-related bloating.
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Take an antacid if needed. Over-the-counter antacids like Tums or Pepto-Bismol can relieve occasional heartburn or indigestion after eating shrimp.
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Limit alcohol intake. Alcohol relaxes the esophageal sphincter, exacerbating acid reflux. It also dehydrates, so avoid over-imbibing with shrimp.
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Consult a doctor if problems persist. Recurring indigestion or inability to sleep after eating shrimp may indicate a food intolerance or underlying condition needing medical attention.
Healthy Bedtime Alternatives to Shrimp
If shrimp just never seems to sit right in the evening, don’t fret. There are plenty of nutritious, lighter protein alternatives to enjoy before bed:
- Skinless grilled chicken breast
- Broiled whitefish like cod or flounder
- Scrambled or hard-boiled eggs
- Greek yogurt with fruit
- Peanut butter on whole grain toast
- Hummus with raw veggies
- Cottage cheese with berries
- Oatmeal made with low-fat milk
- Lean deli meats like turkey rolled up with cheese
Switching to these options at dinnertime can help prevent indigestion issues at bedtime while still providing filling protein to support muscle recovery and growth overnight.
The Bottom Line on Nighttime Shrimp
For many people, eating shrimp at night poses no issues at all and is totally fine. But for those more prone to acid reflux, bloating, or stomach upset, having shrimp close to bedtime can lead to unwanted digestive discomfort and impair sleep quality.
Limiting portion size, choosing lower fat preparations, and allowing enough digest time post-meal are key to minimizing the chances of problems. But if shrimp consistently doesn’t sit well in the evening, incorporating more easily digested proteins before bed is advised.
With some awareness and planning, shrimp lovers can still enjoy the occasional shrimp dinner guilt-free – even after dark! Just be mindful of your own body’s responses. A little trial and error can help determine if a late night shrimp taco is a dream or disaster for your digestion.
9 Foods You Should Never Eat Just Before Going to Bed
Finding ways to sleep better is one of the newest trends in the health and fitness world. Getting enough healthy sleep is also popular. There are some strange drinks that can help you fall asleep, and you can eat a lot of snacks before bed to help you get stronger. Anyone who has had caffeine before bed knows that it doesn’t help you sleep, but you might not know that many other foods are also bad for you near bedtime.
Besides our 21 Sleep Hacks to Rest Your Way to a Better Body and Better Health, we also want you to stay away from these sugary, high-carb, and caffeine-filled snacks before bed.
On our list of the 9 healthiest breakfast cereals to enjoy and the 6 worst cereals to avoid at all costs, some of the healthier choices are on the list of bad things to eat before bed. Why? Because even healthy boxed cereals have carbs. They might not be as bad for you as these 10 Breakfast Cereals That Have as Much Sugar as Candy, but you should still be careful with any carbs before bed. When your body is winding down at night, carbs, especially sugars, can cause your blood sugar to rise, which can lead to weight gain that you don’t want.
Red meat — a carnivores best friend and the bane of every vegans existence. People across the country are split on whether they love or hate red meat (read 7 Reasons Why You Shouldnt Eat Red Meat — and 8 Reasons Why You Should) but one thing we should all remember is that eating a burger before bed won’t help you sleep. Actually, burgers usually have a lot of fat, and fat has more calories per gram than protein and/or carbohydrates, with nine calories per gram compared to four calories per gram of protein and/or carbohydrates. If you don’t want to spend the night tossing and turning with stomach and chest pain because of fat, don’t eat burgers before bed.
Dark chocolate can be incredibly beneficial for ones health; this isnt breaking news. But what you might not have known is that cocoa naturally has caffeine in it (about 12 milligrams of caffeine per ounce of chocolate). You probably aren’t drinking a hot cup of coffee before bed, and you should also stay away from dark chocolate. Even though a chocolate cake before bed sounds great, you might want to save your tasty chocolate cake recipe for later in the day.
Remember how sugary cereals shouldn’t be eaten at night? Well, a cup or cone from one of the world’s 30 best ice cream shops might sound good as you walk home late at night from the park or boardwalk, but you should make sure you give your body enough time to digest the high sugar content of it before going to sleep. If you eat a lot of sugar right before bed, it can keep you awake. Also, many popular ice cream brands contain dark chocolate. Pop quiz: Are you supposed to eat dark chocolate before bed? Answer: No!.
Jalapeño Peppers (and Other Spicy Foods)
It’s not bad for you to cover your food in hot sauce, but you should save the Cholula for breakfast and lunch. Spicy foods like Indian food, hot sauce, and peppers like jalapeño (and especially these 11 Spiciest Chile Peppers on Earth) speed up your metabolism. This can make your body temperature rise, which can make it hard to sleep. Additionally, gastrointestinal distress (actually, were adults here — we can call 2 a. m. fits of gas 2 a. m. fits of gas) caused by spicy foods can keep even the most sincere Scoville enthusiast up all night.