Do not eat starchy food at night:
It is preferable to limit the energy intake at night because we are less active and therefore we burn less energy. Moreover, the secretion of many hormones depends on our biological clock set on a 24-hour cycle, in the morning we store less fat, which allows us to eat more than in the evening.
50 years ago people were more active, so were burning the starch more easily. Nowadays we spend most of our time sitting in front of a computer, so we do not need as much starch.
Should all starches be removed?
Without considering the specific individual sensitivities, the choice of starches is of major importance. Indeed, some starchy foods will be digested quickly and therefore be accompanied by a peak of sugar in the blood while others will be digested much more gradually, and will therefore have less impact on this sugar level. If you want to lose weight it is important to control your blood glucose to avoid the excessive secretion of insulin which is associated with storage in the form of fat.
High-glycemic starchy foods (which rapidly increase blood glucose) include white pasta, white bread, sandwich bread, rusks, pre-cooked rice, and round rice.
Lower-glycemic starchy foods include pulses, cereal loaves, whole or semi-finished rice and pasta, basmati, red and black rice.
Also, be careful when cooking your starches, the more they are cooked, the higher their glycemic index, prefer pasta and rice al dente.
As part of a weight loss, starchy foods are to be preferred at lunchtime because they are satisfying and gives you energy for the rest of the day.
My advice is therefore to limit the intake of starch in the evening. My clients who have removed starchy foods from their evening meals have all been successful in their weight loss.
So, what can I eat?
As an alternative to starchy foods, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, red beans etc.) can be consumed in the evening. Although high in carbohydrates, their high levels of fiber and vegetable proteins counterbalance this glycemic index and make them very filling, a good way to avoid evening cravings.
If you want to eat less in the evening and thus decrease the energy intake, I would also recommend to have a consistent breakfast in the morning and not to skip lunch, this allows to spread the energy intake throughout the day, and to be less hungry at dinner time.
My French Dietitian
https://www.myfrenchdietitian.com/
Extract from my book: Lose weight without dieting: a nutrition guide. Available on Amazon Kindle.
https://www.amazon.com/Lose-weight-without-dieting-nutrition-ebook/dp/B074YRX9XJ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520183526&sr=8-2&keywords=ricau