by K Aleisha Fetters

MILK A glass of milk (warm or not) can help you sleep more soundly, thanks to a healthy dose of tryptophan and calcium, says Murphy. And more sleep means less next-day cravings. Milk also delivers protein, which helps support muscle strength and growth. Shutterstock

GRAPE JUICE A small glass of 100 percent grape juice before bed may help you sleep and <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/healthy-ways-to-burn-fat" id="d9e0dd0f-fdaf-3e69-a785-6558c032b68e"> burn fat </a> as you dream, says Murphy. <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124714004835" id="30366403-60ac-327c-a887-c263f0014108"> Research </a> published in Cell Reports suggests that insulin secretion at night (caused by consumption of simple carbs, like juice) regulates the bodys circadian rhythms. And a 2015 International Journal of Obesity <a href="http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v39/n6/abs/ijo201523a.html" id="14b3eb9e-648b-3340-a097-a8618c46cece"> study </a> found that resveratrol, an antioxidant contained in grapes, converts calorie-storing white fat into <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/fat-facts" id="45694fff-1f7d-3bf5-a5a0-9e6f43e0c930"> calorie-burning brown fat </a> . Its a one-two punch. Related: <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/health/a23101661/how-to-sleep-better-weight-loss/" id="287a7ace-0701-34bf-a7fc-f1c9f8c5ce57"> How Sleep Can Help You Weigh Less </a> In case youve heard, yes, wine is also rich in resveratrol. Unfortunately, alcohol isnt the best pre-bed drink. In one University of Melbourne <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acer.12621/abstract" id="baff074e-97f7-3863-a5f2-5f833edf5162"> study </a> , sleepers who drank booze before bed exhibited nighttime brain wave patterns similar to people who received small electric shocks all night long. Shutterstock

CHAMOMILE TEA A hot mug of this sleep-inducing tea increases your bodys levels of <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0403282" id="7445afe1-3ea5-38e0-ad70-501513314a04"> glycine </a> , a neurotransmitter that relaxes your nerves and acts as a mild sedative. Another cool trait of chamomile: It spikes your core body temperature so that your system responds by drastically cooling itself, <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/daytime-habits-that-affect-sleep" id="0c03fcef-2f4e-367f-acca-5c0736ca088f"> lulling you to sleep </a> . Whats more, chamomile has been <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25176245" id="7c84412b-bdbd-3640-a505-2f98d6f80d02"> linked </a> to improved glucose control and weight loss, says Murphy. Just make sure that any tea you drink before bed is caffeine-free. Shutterstock

KEFIR Made from fermented milk, this <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/foods-high-in-probiotics" id="67187a08-912c-37a8-a00c-6c6ed735dbd8"> probiotic-rich </a> beverage works on your gut microbiome to increase levels of healthy bacteria, promote proper <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/pooping-and-weight-loss" id="0912c3c8-0caa-3867-afe6-6d89fc686974"> digestion </a> , and help you to absorb vitamins and minerals more effectively, says Murphy. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19887347" id="fc35fa55-d2da-3e73-a300-0252689c1698"> Research </a> published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has also tied the yogurt-like beverage to improved sleep and <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/exercising-to-lose-weight" id="c2fd9b29-c6c8-3139-a7fb-a22ebb417a9c"> better exercise performance. </a> Shutterstock

SOY PROTEIN SHAKE Soy, in milk or protein powder form, is brimming with the amino acid tryptophan. According to Birmingham University <a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/Suppl_3/A12.abstract?maxtoshow=&amp;HITS=10&amp;hits=10&amp;RESULTFORMAT=&amp;andorexacttitle=and&amp;titleabstract=immunity+athletes&amp;andorexacttitleabs=and&amp;andorexactfulltext=and&amp;searchid=1&amp;FIRSTINDEX=0&amp;fdate=1/1/2000&amp;tdate=2/28/2015&amp;resourcetype=HWCIT" id="823bb960-f3a6-30bc-aa21-a52a39b8ddcf"> research </a> , it can improve sleep quality by acting as a precursor to drowse-inducing <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/melatonin-pills" id="fec71722-3674-30a6-ac9f-4bfedc1d75e4"> melatonin </a> , says Murphy. She notes that apart from helping you drift off, tryptophan also decreases <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/things-that-mess-with-your-hormones" id="88c389b6-bf42-37f8-a8a7-36afeae4c0b4"> cortisol levels </a> to help fight belly fat. For the best benefits, include some <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/greek-yogurt-for-weight-loss" id="9270c1ed-8001-3288-a77e-6d8114f2cc72"> Greek yogurt </a> in your protein shake. Itll supply your muscles with a generous helping of casein protein for better post-workout recovery, she says. Related : <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a758809/eating-yogurt-can-reduce-the-risk-of-heart-attacks/" id="ed8fd2c7-2153-3d9d-a9d4-90ed8f22ea57"> More ways yogurt is a smart choice </a> . Shutterstock

Water If youre drinking water, youre not drinking calories, and that always helps you get ahead when it comes to weight loss. One <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3866235/" id="cf40c45a-8699-3e6b-ad8e-929e1799e07e"> study </a> found that drinking water was associated with more restorative sleep (technically, it showed less non-restorative sleep), and less daytime sleepiness. And more sleep, as you know, can help weight loss as well. Drinking water is a fine balance, of coursehaving too much means you have to get up to pee. So stay hydrated through the day and drink reasonable amounts of water before you turn in. Corina Pop / EyeEm - Getty Images

Casein Protein Shake Having protein right before bedif youve worked out during the daycan help stimulate muscle rebuilding while you sleep. Muscle rebuilding is what makes your muscles stronger. And the more muscle you have, the more calories your body naturally consumes in a dayyour internal furnace burns those calories at a higher rate than people who carry around a higher proportion of fat. But how well your muscles rebuild their proteins overnight depends on the level of available amino acids, researchers in the Netherlands point out in a study published in the journal <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5188418/" id="3a121446-c36b-3e21-ad05-4c359e426c92"> Nutrients. </a> When those researchers gave exercisers a protein drink or a placebo immediately before sleep, they saw that protein synthesis rates were about 22 percent higher in the protein group than in the placebo group. They also suggest that casein protein may be more beneficial than whey, as it digests more slowly, so your body has access to it for longer, but more research is needed on that. Get all the details about casein protein <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a757459/best-casein-protein-powder/" id="ef612713-ebbd-3c13-a11f-96b8e79be4e7"> here </a> . edwardolive - Getty Images

7 Bedtime Beverages That Can Help You Lose Weight

Ithaca, New York, had problems with a new disinfection system that produced too-high levels of chlorites in its water. Last year, Joliet, Illinois, did not complete all of the required testing for lead, copper nitrate, and radium and admitted that it cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time. Nearby, a 2018 Chicago Tribune analysis of the water of 2,797 homes found lead in nearly 70 percent of them. And in Minneapolis, 3M Co. settled a lawsuit for $850 million due to water contamination with PFCs, chemicals that are linked to increased risk of cancers and infertility. The list of transgressions flows onso strong, in fact, that recent research by the Natural Resources Defense Council revealed that in 2015 one quarter of Americans were drinking from commu-nity water systems that had at least one violation of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. And the law itselfwhich allows the EPA to regulate water standardsis outdated. Its somewhat incredible that the agency has not set a single new drinking-water-contaminant regulation or legal limit in over two decades, says David Andrews, Ph.D., a senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington D. C. In that time, weve learned a significant amount about how potent and dangerous some of these chemicals in our water can be. Basically, the onus is on you to be aware of what is in your water, says William Dichtel, Ph.D., a Northwestern University chemist whose lab develops water-purification technologies. It gets a whole lot easier when you know how to do it.

<h1> The Most Toxic Pollutants for Men </h1>

Americas aging water infrastructure, built using lead pipes and fittings, leaches contaminants into the water of more than 18 million people, according to the NRDC. The EPA issues alerts when levels of lead exceed 15 parts per billion (ppb) in more than 10 percent of samples.

More than 200 million Americans drink water containing unsafe levels of the chemical, made infamous by Erin Brockovich. Californias Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment established a public-health goal for chromium-6 of 0.02 ppb.

<h1> Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (aka PFAS) </h1>

These pollutants are in the water of up to 110 million Americans, according to a 2018 EWG report. They're linked to cancer and decreased immunity.

In the water of nearly 90 million Americans, the EWG reports. Found in plastics, manufacturing, paint strippers, varnishes, and detergents, the toxin is linked to an increased cancer risk.

In the water of an estimated 250 million Americans, according to the EPA. These are by-products created as a result of the chlorination process11 are regulated, but more than 600 exist. These also are linked to increased cancer risk.

These are found aAt harmful levels for 7.6 million Americans, according to a 2017 EWG report. The common pesticide is linked to an increased cancer risk.

Every year by July 1, your homes water supplier is required to send you a Consumer Confidence Report that will make note of found contaminants and list violations. If you live in an apartment or condo building, download a copy at epa.gov/ccr.

Up until the mid-1980s, lead pipes were allowed in new home construction, explains Judith T. Zelikoff, Ph.D., a professor of environmental medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. And many of those lead-leaching pipes still exist in houses across the country. If you have an older home, call your citys water department and ask if you have lead service lines. Theres no known blood level of lead that is considered safe.

<h1> Flush your pipes with cold water </h1>

If you do have lead pipes in your systemand dont have the cash to switch them outthe CDC recommends running the cold water every time before using it. Exactly how long depends on if lead pipes are in the house, the pipe at the street (the header pipe), or both, says Scott Meschke, Ph.D., a water expert with the University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences. Run the cold tap water for one to two minutes if lead pipes are present in the home. Run the cold in the shower or tub for five minutes, followed by one to two minutes from the sink, if your header pipe has lead. Use only cold water for drinking and cooking (lead is more soluble in warm and hot water), and regularly clean out the faucets aerator to remove any chunks of lead.

The EPA has a list of certified laboratories to test your drinking water for lead and other contaminants at epa.gov, or you can call its Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791. If you drink from a private well, have your water tested by an environmental consultant once a year. Schedule additional testing if your area has flooded or your water looks, smells, or tastes different.

<h1> Bottled water is not always better </h1>

About 25 to 30 percent is actually tap water, which may or may not receive further treatment, accord-ing to a report by the NRDC. In one EWG investigation, bottled water tested from ten major brands contained an average of eight different contaminantssuch as pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen), heavy metals, fertilizers, and industrial solvents. And earlier this year, a State University of New York study found microplastic contamination in 93 percent of 259 bottled waters tested. All of this despite the FDAs regulation. Look for the seal from standards organization NSF International on the bottle (or search the directory at nsf.org) to ensure any bottled water you drink has been independently tested.

Your basic carbon filters, found in pitchers and faucet-mounted devices, are an effective way to significantly reduce contaminants, but good-quality reverse-osmosis filters will remove pretty much everything, Andrews says. Theyre pricier, though, and may require under-sink installation. The EWGs website has a water-filter guide, searchable by filtration method (carbon, ion exchange, reverse osmosis), type (pitcher, faucet, plumbed, etc.), and the contaminants youre looking to reduce or eliminate.

You know about Flint, Michigan, but rattle off any number of other citiesIthaca, Joliet, Chicago, Minneapolis, or even your hometownand you wouldnt second-guess drinking water from the tap. But maybe you should.

6 Ways to Protect Yourself From Unsafe Drinking Water

That said, compared with its extended vegetable family (spinach, broccoli, carrots, the ever-popular cauliflower)-and even its prettier sister, the sweet potato-the white potato gets a bad rap.

But here's the thing: Potatoes aren't bad for you-in fact, when prepared and consumed the right way, they can actually fast-track your weight-loss goals.

Case in point: In one <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2013.875441#.V17zFpMrKRs" id="7dfe2416-5106-3198-a400-0f24405bb530"> Journal of the American College of Nutrition </a> study, researchers found that when people followed healthy recipes, they actually <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/how-to-lose-weight/" id="0d211cf0-b532-387b-a014-ff9b923739c3"> lost weight </a> eating five to seven servings of spuds per week. That's a lot of potatoes, people.

Cant remember the last time you ate a potato without feeling <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19948127/downside-of-calling-your-food-guilt-free/" id="b561f30d-6b60-3e94-ad77-26d9197008a1"> guilty </a> ? Screw that. Here are four ways they can help you hit your healthy-weight goals.

1. They Prevent Overeating Get this: Potatoes top the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7498104" id="5352c7d7-ac4e-314a-adc7-4defbe2d0f4d"> satiety index </a> (a measure of how full people feel after eating certain foods) as the number-one <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/g19986154/high-fiber-food/" id="f0f10dd1-0414-3d38-abd4-7333ffd945b6"> filling food </a> . Seriously. It'll take seven croissants to fill you up as much as a single potato, according to the index. That might explain why, in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition study, people who increased their intake of potatoes automatically reduced their overall daily caloric intake.

What makes spuds so filling? As Purdue University researchers point out, white potatoes contain 4.7 grams of <a href="http://advances.nutrition.org/content/4/3/318S.full" id="cfde7205-1cc2-30d6-a251-b0d63b98e43b"> fiber </a> , which is about the same as an apple. Plus, potatoes are rich in <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19964628/resistant-starch/" id="437d3360-b3e0-3d7e-a2c6-c30889474fed"> resistant starch </a> , which take up space in your GI tract and slow down digestion. That keeps you feeling fuller longer, says Caspero.

And, you probably wouldnt guess this, but a medium white potato also contains 4.3 grams of filling <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19913776/protein-powder-guide/" id="35f77894-bf22-3fdf-ad8f-79263c17a333"> protein </a> . Its not as much as a chicken breast, but its way more than most vegetables!

2. They're Crazy-Low in Calories That medium white potato contains just 163 calories. Like we said, its all about how you prep them. Whats more, since potatoes resistant starch is tough to digest (hence the name), we dont actually absorb all of its calories, she says. That spud on your plate just got even slimmer.

Not sure how to cook a low-cal potato? Try serving them boiled or baked with nutrient-packed toppings like spices, Greek yogurt, poached eggs, salsa, baked beans, avocado slices, or any other foods you love, says Caspero. It might sound out of the box, but potatoes have such a mild flavor that they go great with basically anything.

3. They Can Boost Workout Results Potatoes are a mainstay among <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/g19989354/carbo-loading/" id="70642d6a-6140-30fd-a719-7426d91c0be2"> carbo-loading </a> athletes. Thats because they fuel you with exactly what you need for better workouts and results, says Caspero.

During high-intensity or long-duration exercise, blood sugar and muscle glycogen (stored carbs) serve as your bodys primary source of energy. Thats why, according to <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23846824" id="e4075c2e-2ada-38f0-a492-ffafbe10eeb2"> Sports Medicine </a> research, carbs can boost marathon training and high-intensity interval performance. And better performances = more calories burned and more muscle built.

Plus, unlike other carb sources, potatoes contain enough fiber and protein to keep your <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19945822/balance-your-blood-sugar/" id="bd883614-1d1c-35a1-a5ef-dcfed82f9bf5"> blood sugar levels </a> from going HAM.

And even though most pre-race potato-lovers dont realize it, potatoes actually contain more potassium than bananas. Getting enough of that electrolyte is crucial for proper muscle function.

4. They're Complex AF One reason potatoes get a <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19944350/foods-that-dont-deserve-their-bad-reputations/" id="2cdb7816-5139-3753-ad2e-aa5ee9cf92b2"> bad rap </a> is because they're a starchy vegetable. But, if you havent gotten our drift yet, starch isnt bad. Its actually a complex carbohydrate, you know, that good carb that everyone is talking about for weight loss.

<h1> RELATED: 6 Foods That Don't Deserve Their Bad Reputations </h1>

While research has consistently linked complex carbs to weight loss, resistant starch specifically is shown to improve blood sugar control, which in turn facilitates weight loss and prevents insulin resistance, says Caspero. Booya.

Use potatoes whole, complex carbs to your weight-loss benefit by eating them in place of your usual refined carbs-like white bread and white pasta. Easy enough, right? Taters gonna tate, tate, tate.

How Eating Potatoes Can Help You Lose Weight

There are few veggies more versatile than potatoes: You can bake them, mash them, fry them (or even better, <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/g25617866/healthy-air-fryer-recipes/?slide=15" id="406e84b1-f29d-3575-aad6-ccb23d37087a"> air-fry </a> them), boil them, roast them, scallop them, gnocchi (?) them, whip them into stew, or flatten them into pancakes. Pretty much anything you do with them is delicious.

Forget What You've Heard—Potatoes Can Help You Lose Weight

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Pulse Kenya is the most followed news and entertainment platform in Kenya. It informs and engages young Kenyans around the clock and provides updates by the hour.

by K Aleisha Fetters

Articles written by the author

7 Bedtime Beverages That Can Help You Lose Weight

6 Ways to Protect Yourself From Unsafe Drinking Water

Forget What You've Heard—Potatoes Can Help You Lose Weight