Can We Eat Pasta And Rice For Dinner?

Is it good to eat pasta and rice in the evening? Much has been said on the subject. The reality is that it is going to be up to each individual. We tell you more in this article.

Popular belief tells us that it is not good to eat pasta or rice in the evening for dinner: it would be bad for your health and it would promote weight gain. What is certain is that we can consume these foods at any time of the day, but it must be done efficiently.

The first aspect to consider is the following: these foods are essentially energy. This means that their function is to provide energy or to help the body to recover after an effort. Whenever possible, it is preferable to use these foods for this purpose, the taste should then take a back seat.

When can I eat pasta and rice for dinner?

If you have been consuming few carbohydrates throughout the day and exercising (especially in the afternoon), then it is good to eat these foods for dinner. As we said above, their main function is to help the organism to recover : they help it to be supplied with muscular and hepatic glycogen.

If you do not consume these foods and engage in strenuous activity again the next morning, the risk of muscle damage will be greater. It is therefore essential to provide good reserves of glucose and muscle glycogen before performing intense physical activity.

If you want to lose weight, eliminating carbohydrates from your dinner and exercising on an empty stomach are two things that will help you. When applying this strategy, keep in mind that exercise in the morning should be low in intensity to minimize the risks.

Important foods for athletes

The consumption of pasta or rice in the evening at dinner has an energy function and is especially suitable for athletes who practice anaerobic activities. These foods are very beneficial for these athletes, they even constitute a fundamental element to promote better athletic performance.

It is also necessary to consume a lot of carbohydrates before a competition. The muscle and liver deposits must first be emptied for 24-48 hours and then the reserves must be supersaturated in order to take advantage of the availability of these nutrients during physical activity.

These strategies are typically those of strength sports, that is, sports that involve weights or good anaerobic resistance. Pasta and rice are therefore foods to be consumed in large quantities for these athletes, including at dinner.

When shouldn’t pasta or rice be eaten for dinner?

On the side of sedentary people, namely those who do not regularly practice physical activity, the carbohydrates ingested in the evening at dinner are not very functional. It is undoubtedly more judicious to privilege these foods for the lunch, in particular in order to reduce the appetite.

Once dark, it is best to avoid these foods and resort to protein intake and vegetables. More precisely, it is better to opt for a small portion of food with a low energy density in order to be able to go to bed without appetite and thus rest well. Foods that provide glucose should be avoided, as it will not be used overnight and will then be stored in the form of glycogen.

Over time, it seems that carbohydrates are less and less useful. It is now the proteins that are put forward to prevent damage and muscle destruction. For this reason, pasta and rice, at any time of the day, gradually become secondary or residual foods in the diet, behind proteins and fats.

What about people with diabetes?

With regard to diabetics, it is necessary to distinguish between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

In the first case, it is necessary to have recourse to a portion of nocturnal carbohydrates in order to control the glucose curve.

In the second case, it may be a good idea to cut out the carbohydrates from dinner, or even do a few fasts. This promotes weight loss and better glucose control, which will result in an improvement in symptoms of the disease and a decrease in possible complications.

In short …

We can eat pasta and rice in the evening for dinner if we practice intense and regular sports activity.

Sedentary people and those who wish to lose weight should reduce the consumption of carbohydrates as much as possible. For these people, the ideal is not to eat these foods at dinner, as they are less likely to starve when it is time to sleep and calorie reduction will be easier. Take this information into consideration!