I seem to have a problem with night eating. I eat pretty healthy all day. I am pretty active, but, no matter what, I seem to binge at night. I especially crave sweets like gummy candies or licorice. But I mean like 10 pieces. I binge big-time. I would love to stop this routine and not eat after 8:30pm and at the same time do something productive without food involved. I am 21 years old and average weight.

Variations of this question are extremely common. Such late-night cravings (nearly always for carbohydrates) are (in my opinion, until proven otherwise) cases of reactive hypoglycemia. The low-fat fad has caused low blood sugar reactions to become more and more common as people avoid the foods that slow insulin release (that is, protein, fat and fiber).

In the early evening, consider a snack with zero carbohydrates: fresh nuts, seeds, cheese, eggs, even meat. This non-carb meal does not require insulin, as the simple and complex carbohydrates do; insulin surges are followed by blood-sugar lows. In some sensitive individuals (and I think there are a LOT of them around) those lows can be pretty low, and cravings are the result (along with fatigue, irritability, headaches, whatever). Try to snack BEFORE you get really hungry, though, and then not on carbohydrates; it's an experiment worth trying.

Good health,
A.N. Spreen, M.D.