Viral TikTok trend claims eating baby carrots before bed helps improve sleep

Carrot ribbon salad is the viral way to eat veggies The viral carrot ribbon salad is made with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, green onions, grated garlic, soy sauce and chili crisp oil. A viral social media hack claims that eating baby carrots before bed can improve sleep, but nutrition science does not support the idea that carrots - or any single food - function as a sleep aid. Fox News Digital spoke to experts to get to the truth of the trend. Baby carrots are a low-calorie vegetable that provide fiber, carbohydrates, potassium, vitamin K and beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). These nutrients play established roles in overall health, but none are recognized by federal health agencies as sleep-inducing when consumed at night. SIMPLE NIGHTLY HABIT LINKED TO HEALTHIER BLOOD PRESSURE, STUDY SUGGESTS Still, the nutrient profile helps explain why carrots have become part of the online conversation. "The belief comes from the nutrients carrots contain and how those nutrients relate to sleep regulation," Jessica Mack, a New York-based wellness expert, told Fox News Digital. A viral TikTok trend claims eating seven baby carrots before bed will help improve sleep. (iStock) "Carrots provide beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, a nutrient involved in maintaining normal circadian rhythm function." She also pointed to potassium , noting that it "supports muscle relaxation and nervous system signaling." 'DARK SHOWERING' IS THE NEW TREND FOR BETTER SLEEP On social media, those biological roles are often oversimplified, Mack said. "These connections are often simplified into the idea that eating carrots before bed can help the body ‘wind down,’ which has fueled the trend on TikTok." Claims circulating on social media oversimplify how nutrients like vitamin A and potassium function in the body and exaggerate their role in sleep regulation, according to experts. (iStock) Despite the claims circulating online, evidence does not show that carrots directly improve sleep. Nutrition experts and sleep specialists say large or heavy meals close to bedtime may interfere with sleep by causing discomfort or indigestion. Lighter snacks may be better tolerated for some people, but individual responses vary. Studies have found associations between higher fruit and vegetable intake, higher fiber consumption and better sleep quality - but those findings reflect overall diet quality, not immediate effects from a nighttime snack. Foods containing nutrients such as tryptophan, magnesium or compounds linked to melatonin production have been studied more directly for their relationship to sleep. (iStock) "Carrots are not a sleep aid, and there is no strong evidence that eating baby carrots alone will make someone fall asleep faster," Mack said. EASY NUTRITION TWEAK COULD TRANSFORM YOUR SLEEP - STARTING THIS EVENING She added that any potential benefit is indirect. "They can indirectly support sleep when eaten as part of a balanced evening meal," she said. "Their fiber and natural carbohydrates may help stabilize blood sugar levels overnight, which can reduce sleep disruptions for some people. Any...

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