A health expert has issued advice on one common ingredient to avoid during a heatwave. With the warmer weather set to continue across the UK, some may be wondering which foods and drinks to avoid. The UK reached a scorching 35C earlier this week and the forecast for the next few days shows signs of further warm weather.
Making sure to enjoy the increased temperatures responsibly is crucial and an expert has shared which food groups to avoid and which to feature more of in your diet to match up with hotter climates. Dr. Allie Hare has shared with Emma Sleep how best to deal with the heatwave and which foods should be removed from your diet during this time.
The expert shared: “Drinks high in sugar, such as coffee with flavoured syrups and fizzy drinks, cause sharp spikes and crashes in your body’s blood sugar levels, increasing the chances of you waking up throughout the night.
“Alcoholic drinks, which can also be high in sugar, may initially make you feel drowsy but can ultimately disrupt your sleep cycle and reduce REM sleep, resulting in poorer overall rest. To minimise disruption, it’s worth keeping an eye on your sugar intake and opting for higher-sugar options on special occasions, rather than making them a daily habit.”
There are certain food groups that Dr. Hare suggested people incorporate more into their diet while the hot weather lasts. Dr. Hare and the Emma Sleep team explained: “The Mediterranean diet is naturally rich in tryptophan, an amino acid the body uses to produce serotonin, which is then converted into melatonin, the hormone that helps to regulate sleep.
“Key foods include yoghurt and cheese, eggs, fish such as salmon and tuna, legumes like lentils and chickpeas, and nuts and seeds, including almonds and pumpkin seeds.”
Avoiding takeaways and heavier foods is also advised. The experts said: “Meals like takeaways, processed meats, and dishes with creamy sauces can all negatively impact sleep. This is because the body needs more time to digest these types of foods, which can place extra strain on the body during the night.
“Lighter evening meals are recommended to allow for enough time for digestion, so try opting for grilled fish and meat, olive oil-based dressings, and plant-based fats such as avocados, where possible.”
Dr. Hare added that changing your diet to be more in-line with Mediterranean foods could benefit your sleep health. She said: “Greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet is associated with increased sleep duration and with better sleep quality.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
