We should not take food in the night. Why?

Consuming food, water etc. in the night is very strictly prohibited in the Jain Dharma There are two reasons for this prohibition. First, if we eat food during the night, there is the possibility of our committing violence because many minute creatures and germs may get killed if we take food during night times. Secondly if we take food late in the night we may not be able to digest it because we will not do any work in the night that helps digestion. Hence, it is not good to take food in the night according to the principles of health. The habit of consuming food etc. during the night may result in indigestion foul smell in the breath, putrefaction of teeth, constipation and several diseases of the throat. The digestive system becomes inactive during the night owing to the absence of sunlight. Hence the food taken during night, does not get digested; and its putrefaction in the body is harmful to health. The germs and microbes that disappear when there is sunlight do not really get destroyed; they take shelter in the shadowy places and after sunset, they enter pervade the atmosphere. These microbes that are invisible to the naked eye, get into our food and cause many dreadful diseases.

Of all the religions in the world, the Jain Dharm is unique in examining with great care and thoughtful-ness even such comparatively small matters as food and drink. The Jain dharma concentrates more on the development of the mind than on the development of the body. After all certain effects of food, both good and bad. fall not only on the body, but on the mind.