Many Americans report waking up to 'food hangovers' regularly from late night meals and snacks

By Joseph Staples // SWNS

Six in every 10 Americans regularly wake up with food hangovers or stomach cramps according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 general population Americans found on average, they will have nine of these morning stomach cramps (related to late-night meals) every month. Nearly half (49%) don’t realize how their diet will affect their body in the morning until it’s too late.

Could our dinner timing play a role in our early morning regrets? The average American doesn’t eat dinner until 7 pm, but one in every five Americans eats late-night dinners between 8 pm and 2 am.

For many, this type of discomfort may result from food intolerance, as 41% of Americans polled say they suffer from some type of food allergy or intolerance.

The most common food intolerances or sensitivities according to respondents include having a gluten intolerance (54%), caffeine allergy (45%), high fructose corn syrup allergy (43%) and lactose intolerance (36%).

Yet two-thirds of people with a food intolerance still eat willingly foods they shouldn’t — even if they have an intolerance for them — because they like the food too much.

Commissioned by Meatless Farm and conducted by OnePoll, the study found more than half (51%) of respondents have been warned their diet is or will be contributing to bad health and lifestyle diseases.

These Americans are most at risk of lifestyle diseases like high cholesterol (45%), Type-2 Diabetes (38%) and kidney stones (35%).

More than three-quarters (77%) of those have not made any changes to their diets since being warned, citing they like their unhealthy foods too much (40%), their family/partner makes those foods too often (25%), they feel fine (21%) and they don’t trust their doctor (7%).

Two out of every five people (43%) actively ignore what their doctor says unless it’s an emergency or it becomes critical to their life.

“There is a direct correlation between highly processed meat and the risk of developing serious lifestyle diseases,” says Morten Toft Bech, the founder of Meatless Farm, the plant-based food company. “Alongside our environmental mission, helping people eat healthier while enjoying their favorite dishes is exactly why we started Meatless Farm. It’s all about balance and inspiring small changes.”

When it comes to their diet, people are hesitant to change. Fifty-nine percent said they could never give up their favorite foods, even when their health is on the line. Respondents said they could especially never give up mac n’ cheese (45%), butter (40%) and pizza (40%).

Yet even the most stubborn eaters can be convinced to change their ways, as long as there’s an alternative available. Two-thirds (65%) would be willing to let go of unhealthy foods if they could count on something both healthier and just as good.

When asked whether or not they would switch to a more plant-based diet, just over a quarter (29%) of Americans said they wouldn’t consider changing.

These respondents said they worry about not getting enough nutrients (46%), alternatives not tasting the same (42%) and alternatives being too expensive (42%).

However, six in 10 (62%) of people recognize how their diet can negatively impact their body and how they feel. Similarly, 60% believe that by reducing their meat intake and eating more plant-based foods, they can combat lifestyle diseases and thus begin to feel healthier.

Close to three out of four Americans (71%) are already considering diets that reduce their meat intake.

“People want to eat more plant-based meat alternatives, however, there’s a knowledge gap when it comes to protein that isn’t from animals,” says Toft Bech. “Animals are a very inefficient method of creating protein for humans. We are pioneering taste tech that extracts protein from plants to create fresh and nutritious food that offers people the same sensory experience as meat. This is a much more sustainable and efficient way of feeding the world. It’s about more than burgers. We need to inspire a broader swatch of Americans that not only do plant-based alternatives help combat against lifestyle diseases and help the environment, but they are also delicious. Food is an essential part of daily American life and plant-based meat is set to play a huge part in igniting a new food culture from east to west. It will happen more quickly than many think.”

MOST COMMON FOOD INTOLERANCES IN AMERICA