Diet studies cottage cheese for late eaters the ideal snack for faster weight loss

Anyone who craves sleep should resort to cottage cheese

Many people get hungry again before bedtime. Here, the danger is particularly great to quickly treat yourself to an unhealthy calorie bomb. This can easily become a habit and ruin any diet. However, if you do not want to miss the bedtime snack, you should resort to cottage cheese. American researchers found that a portion of cottage cheese at bedtime boosts the metabolism during sleep and does not cause any increase in body fat.

If you're already snacking at night, then you're right: Cottage cheese at bedtime is the best bedtime snack, researchers at Florida State University suggest. They found that high-protein cheese has a positive effect on muscle quality, metabolism and overall health when consumed about 30 to 60 minutes before sleep. An increase in body fat is not to be feared thereby. The study results have recently been published in the journal "British Journal of Nutrition".

A serving of cottage cheese at bedtime should, according to American researchers, boost the metabolism during sleep and shorten the regeneration time of the muscles. (Image: chamillew / fotolia.com)

Monitored snoring before sleeping

In his research, the research team monitored participating women who stayed overnight in the sleep lab. 30 to 60 minutes before sleep, women were given either one serving of cottage cheese containing 30 grams of protein, 10 grams of carbohydrates and 0 grams of fat (equivalent to about 250 grams of low-fat cottage cheese) or a casein-containing protein shake containing 30 grams of protein but no calories or a placebo Drink for control. Among other things, the researchers wanted to find out how pre-sleep whole-food proteins (such as those in cottage cheese) affect energy consumption and the appetite for the next morning.

Casein proteins help in sleep

According to the researchers, 30 grams of protein from cottage cheese before sleep resulted in improved metabolic rate and muscle recovery overnight. Reason is the contained casein, which is slowly digested by the body. The muscles can be supplied with high-quality protein for several hours. The result: Protects the body's own proteins, instead more carbohydrates and fats are burned. Tip for cottage cheese haters: The caseinhaltigen protein shakes had the researchers according to the same effect.

With the right diet you can do without powder

"So far, we have had no proof whether whole-food proteins behave differently than proteins from supplement products," reports study leader Michael Ormsbee in a press release on the study results. The researchers at Ormsbee have thus proven that certain whole-food products can achieve the same effects as powders and protein supplements.

No generalization possible yet

"Since we only used cottage cheese, we can not generalize the results to all whole foods supplements," says Ormsbee. He hopes for future studies that expand this research area. Because: "There is much more to discover in this field of study," says the nutrition expert. (Vb)