Everyone enjoys sweets after a meal.
Some of that is just a result of habit and some of it has other motives.
After a good meal, we are offered dessert.
It was given to us as a treat as children and we continue the process as adults.
This is all well and good if done in moderation.
If we eat a couple of cookies or a slice of cake after dinner and that's all, it really shouldn't cause us much harm.
Let's look at what happens if we overindulge.
Consuming lots of high glycemic meals, meals which are high in carbohydrates (pasta, bread, rice) creates a cycle in the body.
When we consume lots of carbohydrates it causes blood sugar to rise.
The pancreas releases more insulin into the blood stream.
A rise in insulin creates a rise in tryptophan and tryptophan is converted to serotonin which gives us a sleepy feeling.
You would think, well, what's the problem.
I have insomnia or sleeping problems, so this will help me sleep.
It doesn't help us sleep really because it is short lived.
This is where the problem lies.
We get the rollercoaster of high energy and then a sleepy feeling and then the serotonin wears off so we are wide awake again.
This process can also occur if we snack late at night.
It's bed time and we have a slice of cake or any high-calorie sweet.
Our mouth is delighted from the taste and we get the momentary surge of energy followed by the sleepiness.
Two things can occur.
Either we will drift off for a few minutes to stay awake the rest of the night, or we forsake even that short period of time and stay awake looking at the four walls and wondering why we aren't sleeping.
The solution lies in slowly cutting down carbohydrate consumption if we have high carb meals throughout the day and decreasing or eliminating consumptions of snacks late at night.
Our meals should be balanced.
If you find you are having lots of highs and lows during the day, try decreasing the amount of carbohydrates at each meal.
You should have carbs, proteins, and vegetables at every meal.
While carbohydrates are digested at a fast rate, proteins and vegetables are slower to digest, which can slow down the production of insulin, which gives the rollercoaster effect.
Not only will this help balance insulin production, it may help you lose a few pounds as well.
Another suggestion to heed if you like snacking just before bed is to try to switch to something healthier.
A piece of fruit can satisfy your sweet craving without the extra calories and strong insulin spike.
Carrots or celery could also be used as a late night snack.