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FACT CHECK: Can eating curd, salad, banana, and radish at night cause health issues?
Traditional dietary practices may discourage eating certain foods at night for digestive reasons, but scientific evidence does not support this.
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CLAIM
Consuming curd, salad, banana, radish at night with dinner leads to diseases
FACT
Scientific evidence does not support the claim that consuming curd, salad, banana, or radish at night leads to diseases; these foods are generally nutritious and easily digestible at any time of day.
A popular claim among traditional medicinal practitioners in India is associating certain foods with certain times of the day. A video which has gone viral on social media shows a person conducting a session and advising people that "curd, raita (curd-based salad), cucumber, banana, radish, should never be consumed at night. His logic is that these foods don't digest and don't let the other food items digest as well.
He further contends that consuming these items could lead to conditions such as gas, acidity, stomach pain, obesity, headache, body pain, arthritis, cholesterol, heart attack.
The video can also be found on Twitter.
रात के समय दही, रायता, खीरा, मूली, केला, ककड़ी, खाना ज़हर के समान हैं... pic.twitter.com/nYTQl4fQSD
— Vatsala Singh (@_vatsalasingh) September 18, 2024
The claim, however, is largely rooted in traditional dietary beliefs rather than scientific evidence.
Curd, a rich source of probiotics, aids digestion. Some traditional practices suggest avoiding dairy as people grow older due to increased lactose intolerance. However, there is no scientific evidence supporting the idea that curd should only be consumed at specific times of the day.
Cucumber, composed of about 95% water, is generally considered easy to digest.
Bananas are considered a healthy snack due to their high potassium content and fiber.
Radishes are known for their digestive benefits and are low in calories.
All these items are recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Indians published by the (Indian Council of Medical Research) ICMR. The claim that consuming these foods leads to severe health conditions such as heart attacks or arthritis lacks any credible scientific support. While poor dietary habits can contribute to obesity and related health issues, attributing these conditions solely to the consumption of specific foods at night is simplistic.
Gas and acidity can arise from various factors including overall diet quality and individual digestive health rather than specific food items consumed at night. For instance, excessive intake of high-fiber foods or carbonated beverages can cause gas irrespective of the time they are consumed. Likewise, headaches and body pain can stem from various factors such as dehydration, stress, or dietary habits, rather than being directly caused by consuming specific foods at night.
Heart disease is influenced by a variety of lifestyle factors including overall diet quality, physical activity levels, and genetics. No single food item from those claimed consumed at night has ever been linked to increased cholesterol or heart attack risk in scientific literature.
While traditional dietary practices may advise against consuming or combining certain foods at night due to concerns over digestion or discomfort, scientific evidence does not support this.
Rather than fearing these foods, individuals should focus on maintaining a balanced diet and being mindful of their own digestive responses. Moderation and personal tolerance are key. If someone finds that eating these foods at night causes discomfort, they may choose to adjust their eating habits accordingly.
Understanding one's body and its reactions to various foods is essential for making informed dietary choices rather than adhering strictly to generalized claims about food consumption timing.
First Check contacted the speaker in the video for comment, but received no response till this article was published. The article will be updated with his comments, if he responds.
Also read: Fact-check – Not all dietary fats are evil
