Even with the best-laid plans, making a healthy dinner can quite quickly go off the rails. Between the fatigue that sets in around 3pm to having the right ingredients on hand, it can seem much more attractive to flop down and hit the Deliveroo icon. This frustration is normal, says psychonutritionist Itziar Digón, who says that her clients feel as if they “lose control” around food in the evening, largely due to all the pent-up emotional agitation that comes after a long day at work.
Largely, there are two forces pushing us to eat, she explains: a physiological need and an emotional one. The emotional urge to eat is one that seeks rest and disconnection, with food becoming a bridge to those emotions. Without planning staple meals and foods to eat, this emotional need can take over, and all thoughts of a satiating, healthy meal go out the window.
What makes a dinner healthy?
The key to a good dinner is one that works for your lifestyle. That means, if you find eating heavier foods late at night wreaks havoc on your digestive system, then it’s best to avoid doing it. Similarly, if eating too early and too lightly means you go to sleep with hunger pangs, then that’s not good either.
“An unbalanced dinner can hinder digestion, disturb sleep and affect metabolic processes, such as blood sugar regulation,” describes nutritionist Laura Jorge. “What we eat for dinner influences our mood and food choices for the next day,” she continues, noting fatigue and sugar cravings as possible examples. “A balanced dinner can improve sleep quality, which positively impacts mood and our ability to make healthier choices.”
There is no such thing as the “perfect” dinner, says doctor and nutritionist Dr Ana Revuelta. Instead, it’s about finding a middle ground between the right ratios of protein to fat, carbohydrates and fibre, as well as making something you actually want to eat. “A dinner that’s deficient in protein and fibre can cause a loss in muscle mass, as well as a poorer quality of sleep due to the lack of magnesium and tryptophan.” This goes double for eating a very small dinner or sticking to liquids (soups, broths and juices) only.
“Your dinner provides a series of nutrients that help with cell renewal as you sleep,” Digón explains. However, that’s not the whole picture. “You could eat the most nutritionally perfect meal, but if it hasn’t satisfied you, you will still go in search of whatever it is you don’t allow yourself to have.” Whether that’s chocolate, cookies or crisps, finding a way to bring “forbidden” foods into your diet in moderation can help stave off the boom and bust of trying to eat healthy.
3 steps for a healthy, satiating dinner
- Your dinner should contain good quality protein, whether that’s from eggs, fish, tofu, chicken or turkey (the latter being rich in tryptophan that helps encourage good quality sleep). “Your nighttime diet influences the production of melatonin and serotonin,” explains Dr Revuelta.
- Add a small portion of carbohydrates. This could be in the form of quinoa, legumes, potato, sweet potato or oats, alongside a small portion of healthy fats (avocado, nuts or olive oil, for example) for optimal digestion.
- Raw vegetables: This will vary depending on how well your gut can process fibrous foods, but Digón recommends eating a serving of raw vegetables before you eat your evening meal. “[It] increases the secretion of GLP1,” he explains, adding that this hormone works to increase insulin secretion, slow down gastric emptying and promote feelings of satiation.
