Did you know that you can lose weight by drinking certain beverages before bedtime?
While losing weight can involve many factors, a few beverages can help you shed some fat if you drink them before sleeping.
It may seem paradoxal since many health experts advise that we shouldn’t consume too much food or drinks before bedtime. However, research shows that there are drinks that can boost your metabolism and trigger fat-burning body chemicals when you drink them at night.
Does Drinks Before Bed Can Really Make You Lose Fat?
Evidence shows how certain drinks promote weight loss when consumed before bedtime. Certain nutrients, hormones, or compounds can trigger your body to burn more fat while you sleep.
While consuming these drinks any time of the day can still lead to their weight-loss benefits, many are considered great before bedtime because it leads to better sleep.
Studies show that inadequate sleep puts you at a higher risk of weight gain and obesity. Inadequate sleep can make you crave foods that are high in carbs and calories. It can also slow down your metabolism and increase your overall appetite.1
Studies show that drinking protein before sleeping can increase your metabolic rate the next day, accelerating weight loss.
Certain drinks that are rich in antioxidants are also ideal to be taken at night because it makes you sleepy and converts stored white fat into calorie-burning brown fat.
And these are just a few of the reasons! Blood sugar levels, muscle protein synthesis, thermogenesis, and many others also come into play.
As you go through our list, you’ll understand more how these drinks can help you shed some pounds even as you’re getting a good night’s sleep.
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The 8 Best Fat Burning Drinks Before Bed
Here, we listed the 8 best fat burning drinks you can have before sleeping. We also provided evidence and clear explanations of how they can be useful in your weight loss journey.
- Warm milk
- Greek yogurt protein shake
- Chamomile tea
- Cinnamon tea with honey
- Red wine
- Turmeric milk
- Cold water
- Aloe vera juice
1. Warm Milk
Studies show that drinking milk before bedtime can boost your next morning’s resting metabolic rate, the number of calories your body turns into energy when your body is at rest.2
If your metabolism is fast, the more calories you burn, resulting in weight loss.
Milk also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which promotes good sleep. In a healthy weight loss plan, good sleep is very important. Research even shows that not getting adequate sleep while on a diet can reduce the amount of weight loss and even promote overeating.
2. Greek Yogurt Protein Shake
The combination of protein shake and Greek yogurt is a good drink before sleeping.
Having a small amount of protein before going to bed can promote muscle protein synthesis, even as you doze off. This synthesis helps build and repair muscles, leading to an increase in metabolism and losing weight.
This drink is also beneficial for those who exercise at night because it increases post-exercise overnight recovery. Greek yogurt is a great addition to protein shake because it’s rich in casein protein.
According to the ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition), consuming protein casein before sleep increases muscle protein synthesis and metabolic rate while at sleep, leading to lipolysis or burning of body fat.3
3. Chamomile Tea
Drinking chamomile tea before bedtime is attributed to many health benefits, including good sleep.
A nice cup of chamomile tea increases your glycine, an amino acid that will put you to deep sleep quickly. Again, good sleep is important in weight loss because it cuts down your cravings and helps your body burn more fat and calories.
Glycine is also linked to the synthesis of glutathione, an antioxidant that fights oxidative stress. Obesity, weight gain, and metabolic disorders have been associated with an increase in oxidative stress.
Chamomile tea also reduces bloating and can improve your gut health.
Read More: 7 Natural Fat Burners
4. Cinnamon Tea With Honey
Like chamomile tea, cinnamon tea is also great at helping you have a good night’s sleep. Many individuals trying to lose weight swear by combining cinnamon tea and honey before bedtime.
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, a compound that triggers thermogenesis, a metabolic process that burns calories to generate heat. Studies show that it can protect you against obesity, reduces your body mass index (BMI), and increases your metabolism.4
Meanwhile, honey is an excellent substitute for sugar because it can prevent weight gain and activate hormones that curb your cravings.
Read More: Best Herbs For Hormone Balance
5. Red Wine
Before night time, a little red wine can also be a good weight loss aid. Red wines can make you sleep quickly because, aside from the sedative effect of alcohol, it also contains high levels of the sleep hormone melatonin.
Red wines are made of grapes that contain resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that helps turn white fat (stored fat) into calorie-burning brown fat. It helps oxidize fat and burns the excess, turning them into heat.5
If you’re not into alcohol, you can definitely go for grape juice. Just make sure it’s all-natural and doesn’t contain additives and sugar.
6. Turmeric milk
If you’re an insomniac or have trouble sleeping, a warm mug of turmeric milk or golden milk might do the trick. Drinking this milk an hour before bedtime can lead to better sleep.
At its base, turmeric has a calming effect while the milk contains tryptophan that makes you have a deep sleep.
Turmeric contains curcumin, a natural anti-inflammatory compound. Curcumin has been found to promote weight loss by reducing body fat and can prevent you from regaining the weight you already lost.
It does these by suppressing the growth of fat tissue and regulating sugar levels, especially for those who are obese or overweight.6
7. Cold Water
Drinking water before sleep can be a bit tricky. Drinking water too close before bedtime can affect your sleep because it can make you get up and urinate at night.
At the same time, drinking cold water before sleep can also help lose weight. Remember that for your body to burn fat, it needs water.7
Drinking cold water before bed can push your body to burn more calories while you sleep. It causes your body to work extra hard to maintain its core temperature while asleep, thus burning more calories.
Aside from being a natural calorie burner, cold water can also suppress your appetite and cravings. It’s best to drink cold water at least 2 hours before you plan to doze off.
8. Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe vera can boost your immunity, cure ailments, and even lose weight. Drinking aloe vera juice before bedtime can lead to longer and deeper sleep.8
Aloe vera juice can be a great weight loss aid because it improves your metabolism and contains B vitamins, lowering your blood sugar levels. Your body burns excess fat into energy by slowing your sugar absorption rate and increasing your metabolism.
Read More: Vitamins And Minerals To Boost Metabolism
Best Fat Burning Drinks Before Bed – In Short
There you have it! I hope this list was able to help you find the best fat burning drinks you can have before sleeping.
Sleep is a crucial component of any weight-loss plan. When looking for beverages to drink at night, look for those that can give you a good night’s sleep and have fat-burning properties.
Herbal teas like chamomile and warm milk like golden milk are great relaxants that can calm your nerves and create restful sleep. Red wine should be taken minimally since too much alcohol can disrupt your sleep quality. Cold water is great if taken hours before bedtime.
So, go ahead and grab these drinks before sleeping to help you lose weight!
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