Nutribuddy Hotslim Drink Review – Can Carbs Help You Sleep?
I’m a terrible sleeper and always curious to try new health food products, so when I was shown a new health drink that could help me drift off to sleep how could I resist? But does Nutribuddy Hotslim really do what it claims?
The relationship between sleep and weight is conclusive. Not sleeping enough increases your likelihood of being overweight and not being able to burn fat.
How does it do this?
Undersleeping is a stress on your body. When your body is stressed and tired, it prioritises essential functions like breathing and organ functioning, rather than the less urgent burning fat. In fact your body sees lack of sleep as a potential threat if it were to continue, so actually saves fat stores for future emergencies!
The caveat to this is that if you’re eating in a calorie deficit you’ll still lose weight (it’s simple maths) but when you’re under-rested you’re more likely to burn precious muscle tone than fat….noooooo!
There are two nutritional strategies for aiding sleep;
If you fall asleep fine but wake up in the night or wake too early, if could be that your blood sugar is dropping and your body is waking you up to find food, by increasing cortisol. Having a protein + fat/fibre snack before bed can help keep blood sugar levels stable overnight. Think Greek yoghurt, a protein shake & fruit, cottage cheese & peanut butter, warm full fat milk, that kind of thing.
If on the other hand you’re ‘wired but tired’ in the evenings and can’t wind down and relax enough to sleep, however exhausted you are, a carbohydrate based snack can be very sedative, like oatcakes, banana, porridge or again warm milk (which is all three protein/carb/fat).
Magnesium supplements can help too, or putting magnesium salts in your bath.
Hotslim is an oat based drink that’s organic, vegan, low calorie (18 per 5g serving) and has no added sugar. While many people turn to hot chocolate at bedtime, the sugar in it is the very opposite of what you need to drift off.
Hotslim contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives, or emulsifiers and is sweetened with natural stevia (my fave sweetener, FYI). Its also gluten free, a big bonus if that’s an issue for you.
Ingredients (vanilla): Gluten-Free Oats*, Natural Flavouring, Lucuma Powder*, Stevia, Brahmi Powder*, Matcha Green Tea*, *Organic
Lucuma is a fruit that’s anti-inflammatory and is full of skin-healthy antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Usually found as a dried powder, it’s naturally sweet and caramelly in taste.
Green tea is very high in antioxidants, and while it contains caffeine, the amounts present here are so small it won’t interrupt sleep.
Brahmi Powder, less known than the previous two, is traditionally used as a calming, stress relieving tonic, perfect for bedtime!
Hotslim can be used with milk or plant based milk, made on the stove, or if you’re lady like me, in the microwave. I’ve used oat flour in baking before too, so I’m tempted to get experimenting with what I have left too see what I can come up with (protein pancakes, anyone?!)
Taste Test
I made it with almond milk on the hob, because somehow bedtime drinks are cosier that way right?!
It’s like milk enriched – creamy, kind of porridgy but without lumps, comforting, a hug in a mug. One for when I’m feeling sorry for myself with PMS too, I reckon!
I like vanilla, but I tried it with cinnamon one evening, and with a tsp. of cocoa powder too. Both totally yummy, and you can make it thicker and more substantial by using more powder if you want.
The drink comes in chocolate, strawberry or vanilla flavours and comes in 14, 28 or 56 day packs.
Nutribuddy also do other products, the Instant Chia & Coconut Porridge looks particularly delicious! Basically porridge but with extra fibre and nutrients, and is next on my list to try.