A PB&J sandwich with sugar-free jelly and whole wheat bread, a couple of hours before bed, supports a good night’s sleep and weight loss. It’s packed with compounds that improve sleep quality, duration and onset, such as:
- tryptophan
- niacin
- magnesium
- resveratrol
- vitamin E
- protein
- fiber
- healthy fats
Can I eat a PB&J sandwich right before bed?
Actually, if you want to lose weight, the worst time of the day to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is right before bed. Eating dinner while watching TV can lead to overeating and eventually obesity.
In addition, eating calorie-dense foods right before bed can interfere with your body’s natural weight-regulating mechanisms. Too much food before bedtime can affect the synthesis of key hormones for energy metabolism and sleep, such as insulin and melatonin.
A common PB&J sandwich has about 300 calories, and it’s high in fat and sugar! As the body has decreased insulin sensitivity at night, excess calories as easily stored as fat.
On the contrary, the body burn calories of a PB&J sandwich for energy when consumed during the daytime. In fact, a PB&J sandwich a day, when consumed at the appropriate time, supports weight loss. It can help us follow a calorie-low diet for a long time. Protein and fiber in PB&J sandwich provide a feeling of fullness of hours!
Follow 3 tips to eat a PB&J sandwich with up to 60% fewer calories.
How long before bed should I eat a PB&J sandwich?
The timing of dinner plays a key role in weight loss as well as a good night’s sleep. Eating right before bed has detrimental effects on body weight and sleep onset, quality, and duration.
It’s highly recommended to eat dinner at least a couple of hours before bed. Therefore, you could eat a PB&J sandwich as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet at least 2–3 hours before bed.
A PB&J sandwich before bed may help you sleep better at night
Actually, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with whole wheat bread and high-quality, sugar-free jelly at dinner may have beneficial effects on sleep onset, quality, and duration!
Tryptophan
Above all, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before bed may support a good night’s sleep because it’s an excellent dietary source of tryptophan.
This amino acid play a key role in the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is involved in regulating mood, and sleep. High tryptophan intake may be beneficial for improving sleep latency and obstructive sleep apnea![1]
Furthermore, tryptophan is involved in the synthesis of melatonin. This hormone is the internal clock of the body. It regulates sleep! We can skyrocket melatonin levels in the body by consuming foods naturally high in melatonin.[2]
A PB&J sandwich has about 100 mg of tryptophan. This dose is 23% of the Daily Value:
- peanut butter has 229 mg of tryptophan per 100g. A tablespoon has about 37 mg of tryptophan. This dose is almost 9% of the recommended daily intake.
- bread has some tryptophan as well. Most breads have between 90 and 120 mg of tryptophan per 100g. A medium slice has about 30 mg of tryptophan.
Moreover, tryptophan is necessary for the synthesis of niacin.
Niacin
Additionally, a PB&J sandwich may improve sleep quality and onset because it’s high in niacin. A PB&J sandwich has approximately 4.73 mg of niacin. This dose is 30% of the recommended daily intake! Actually:
- peanut butter is the vegan food with the highest niacin content per serving! Just a tablespoon provides about 13% of the Daily Value!
- bread has about 4.8 mg of niacin per 100g. A slice provides 1.3 mg of niacin. This dose is 8% of the DV.
High niacin intake has been linked to sleepiness. It seems beneficial to consume foods high in niacin at dinner. Niacin and magnesium relax muscles.[3]
Magnesium
Furthermore, a PB&J sandwich before bed may have beneficial effects on sleep because it’s a great dietary source of magnesium. A PB&J sandwich has about 85 mg of magnesium. This dose is 20% of the Daily Value!
- peanut butter has about 193 mg of magnesium per 100g. A tablespoon has about 33 mg of magnesium, or almost 8% of the Daily Value.
- bread also has some magnesium. White bread has only 27 mg of magnesium per 100g, while whole wheat bread has 77 mg of magnesium per 100g. A slice of whole wheat bread has 25 mg of magnesium, or 6% of the DV.[4]
Adequate amounts of magnesium may improve sleep onset latency, early morning awakening, snoring, sleep duration, and daytime falling asleep. Especially in elderly people.[5,6]
Vitamin E
In addition, a PB&J sandwich at dinner may be beneficial for a good night’s sleep because it’s high in vitamin E. A PB&J sandwich has about 2.4 mg of vitamin E. This dose is 16% of the DV.
- peanut butter has about 5.4 mg of vitamin E per 100g, or 0.86 mg of vitamin E per tablespoon.
- whole wheat bread has about 2.8 mg of vitamin E per 100g, or 0.76 mg per slice. White bread has negligible amounts of vitamin E, though.
Vitamin E may play a role in sleep disorders because it has a potent antioxidant activity. Vitamin E has a protective effect on sleep quality.[7]
Resveratrol
Most noteworthy, a PB&J sandwich before bed is good for you because it’s one of the few foods high in resveratrol. A PB&J sandwich with high-quality jam made of berries has even more resveratrol.
Resveratrol is a powerful polyphenol which is naturally present only in peanuts, berries, grapes, and red wine.
The combination of resveratrol, tryptophan, and vitamin E seems beneficial for treating sleep disturbances. Resveratrol ameliorates anxiety and has potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. It may have beneficial effects on obstructive sleep apnea.[8]
Eat PB&J sandwich with high-quality, sugar-free jelly & whole grain bread
However, a typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich may not be the best late night snack because it’s particularly high in sugar.
Too much sugar at night may lead to poor sleep quality and frequent arousal. Especially if we eat a carbohydrate-rich meal just one hour before bed. It’s beneficial to avoid foods with added sugar 4 hours before bedtime.[9]
Most common, cheap jellies and jams are high in sugar, though. Eat only jams and jellies low in sugar for a good night’s sleep.
Actually, there are jams, jellies, or marmalades with no added sugar. Natural, low-glycemic sugar substitutes, such as monk fruit or stevia are used, instead. In fact, the top 4 bestseller jams on Amazon have no added sugar.
Eating reasonable amounts of sugar-free jams or jellies a day is also good for weight loss.
In addition, you should prefer eating a PB&J sandwich with whole wheat bread. White bread spikes blood sugar levels. It has a very high glycemic index, as it has too much sugar! On the contrary, whole grain bread is good for you, as it’s packed with fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
After all, diets higher in fiber and healthy fats are associated with better sleep quality. Peanut butter is one of the richest foods in monounsaturated fats.[10]
When consumed in moderation and when replace saturated fat, monounsaturated fats have a beneficial effect on the heart.[11]
A PB&J sandwich is high in fiber as well. Especially if it’s made of whole grain bread and a high-quality jelly.
Protein
Moreover, a PB&J sandwich with brown bread and sugar-free jelly can be a great snack before bed because it’s high in protein. Diets high in protein are associated with better sleep quality.[12]
