What do hamburgers, spaghetti and pizza all have in common? Well, besides from being the most popular dishes in America, they all share a key ingredient.
And this ingredient is also a staple in a lots of other meals, from soups to salads, thanks to its flavor and nutritional value. While the average American consumes around 31bs of this healthy, versatile food a year, it could also be wrecking your sleep.
We're talking about tomatoes.
Yes, it turns out this delicious fruit isn't actually the best pre-bedtime snack on the menu, which is a shame as it features in a lot of dinnertime menus.
So, we've spoken to Dr. Edmond Hakimi, D.O a Medial Director at Wellbridge Treatment and Research Center to discuss how tomatoes can interfere with sleep, how to enjoy their nutritional benefits while keeping sleep intact and what you can eat closer to bedtime instead.
Why do tomatoes have a negative effect on sleep?
While Dr Hakimi highlights the nutritional value of tomatoes, he does stress that tomatoes can disturb sleep if eaten too close to your bedtime.
"Tomatoes can both be disturbing and helpful to sleep, making the time we eat them important for some people," the health expert tells us.
"Tomatoes can disturb sleep because of their acidity, which can trigger acid reflux or heartburn when lying down."
He also explains that tomatoes contain tyramine, an amino acid that increases the brain's release of the stimulant norepinephrine. "This may boost alertness and awareness, which can be undesirable if it is too close to bedtime," he warns.
Do tomatoes have any nutritional content that may help sleep?
However, it isn't all bad news if you love a BLT in the evening, as Dr Hakimi does point out that tomatoes do contain properties that may aid sleep.
"Tomatoes contain melatonin and the antioxidant lycopene," says the medical director. "Both of which have been linked to improved sleep quality and increased duration of sleep."
When should you eat tomatoes in the day to avoid any sleep disruption?
So, if tomatoes are full of nutritional goodness, including sleepy hormone melatonin, then how can we enjoy this fruit without it disturbing our sleep?
"To avoid any possible disruptions in sleep," Dr Hakimi advises, "I recommend eating tomatoes earlier in the day and to avoid consuming them or other heavy tomato-based meals within 2-3 hours of going to bed, which allows for plenty of time to digest the tomato and prevent ant discomfort during sleep."
3 digestible snacks to eat as pre-bedtime snacks
1. Ripe bananas
Bananas are the ultimate pre-bedtime snack, especially if you experience acid reflux at night as they aid digestion.
Bananas are also tryptophan-containing foods, and tryptophan (an essential amino acid) has been proven to improve sleep duration and make it easier to fall asleep. It also contains magnesium, which can improve sleep time.
2. Yogurt, cheese or milk
The National Health Service (NHS) reccomend eating yogurt or cheese (no, cheese doesn't give you nightmares) or drinking milk in the evening, due to their high calcium content.
Calcium can help reduce stress, and it's recommended to drink a warm glass of milk to promote sleep, be it traditional milk or soya.
3. Oatmeal
While oatmeal is traditionally seen as a breakfast food, the NHS says it's also a great evening meal to promote sleep.
This is especially true if you work late and don't have time to whip up a meal and want to avoid reaching for sugary snacks instead.
According to the NHS, oatmeal is rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which can aid sleep.
