7 Late-Night Snacks That Will Not Destroy Your Diet
7 Late-Night Snacks That Will Not Destroy Your Diet
When you think of late-night snacking, do you believe it's something bad? Well, if you plan on eating foods that are greasy and high in saturated fat, then yes, having a late-night snack is not a good idea. Why? When you settle down for the night, so does your body's functions. This means the digestion process will be slower than normal and will take longer to process the food. Instead of putting your body through unnecessary turmoil, try a few different alternatives to heavy, greasy foods for a late-night snack.
Sweet Late-Night Snacks That Will Not Destroy Your Diet
1. Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese makes an awesome late-night snack because it is full of protein. Since the digestion process is slower when your body is resting, proteins are slowly released throughout the night. Protein keeps you full, which means there's a slim chance of you waking up starving, looking for another late-night snack. Cottage cheese contains casein, which is a protein found in many dairy products. If you're looking to sweeten the pot, you can add freshly sliced bananas or berries. Not fond of cottage cheese? You can replace cottage cheese with low-fat yogurt. Low-fat yogurt is a low-fat snack that you can add your choice of fruits for added flavor.
2. Cherries
Did you know cherries contain melatonin? Melatonin is a hormone that is created by the pineal gland. This hormone regulates being awake and going to sleep. Cherries are a sweet, yet healthy snack, which makes it a prime candidate for a late-night snack.
3. Popcorn
Having a helping a fat-free, all-natural popcorn will not hurt your diet. This snack is full of whole grains and fiber. If you want a flavor punch, try adding black pepper or garlic powder. You can experiment with other seasonings to create a unique and healthy snack.
4. Apples
Apples are juicy, sweet, and make an awesome late-night snack. You can add flavor to the apple by adding peanut butter or almond butter. Apples contain a lot of fiber, which helps with satiety. If you choose to add almond butter to your apple, you will have a helping of protein, which also helps with satiety.
5. Vegetable Sticks with Hummus
If you're a vegetable lover, this is the perfect snack for late nights. You can use celery, carrots or both with three tablespoons of hummus. Veggie sticks with hummus is a light, crunchy snack that is a great source of protein, a variety of fibers, and vitamins. Hummus is great when it is not store-bought because it is loaded with salt. If hummus is not your thing, you can use roasted chickpeas as an alternative. Roasted chickpeas are a crunchy snack that you can personalize by adding flavorings of your choice.
6. Avocado
Fresh avocado makes a refreshing snack during the late hours of the night. This richly textured fruit is nutritious and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. A 3.5 ounce serving of avocado contains a variety of vitamins, including K, C, E, B5, and B6. This one serving also includes folate and potassium, which equals 160 calories. Avocadoes contain more potassium than bananas and can lower cholesterol. Did you know avocados contain carotenoids lutein, as well as, zeaxanthin, which contributes to eye health?
7. Hard-Boiled Eggs
If you enjoy hard-boiled eggs, you can use them for a protein snack. You can eat the eggs alone or in a salad. If you choose to use eggs in your salad, take it easy on the dressing and other foods you add to the salad. You don't want to add a lot of foods and eat a full-course, heavy meal. Eggs promote heart health and eye function. Eggs also keep your bones strong. There are only 80 calories in one large egg.
Late-Night Snacking Tips
Light Snacking
Late-night snacks are not meant to be full course meals. Keep in mind that your snacks need to be light and healthy. You should stay away from foods that are high in saturated fat and foods that are greasy. Stay away from fruits that are overly juicy because it will cause you to wake up from your sleep and use the bathroom numerous times throughout the night.
Foods to Avoid
There are a variety of foods that should be avoided if you plan on late-night snacking. You should avoid foods and beverages that are spicy, fatty, caffeinated, sugary, and avoid alcohol. Consuming fatty foods as a late-night snack leads to indigestion. Alcohol causes you to wake up during the night. Caffeinated beverages keep you awake for long periods of time. Sugary foods can cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. Foods that contain a lot of fat take a while to digest.
How to Stop Late-Night Snacking
Are you just fed up and want to stop with late-night snacks and snacking altogether? There are a few things you can do to stop late-night snacking completely.
Try to Identify the Cause
There are a variety of reasons why you are eating late at night, and you have to try and figure out why. Eating disorders and overly strict eating habits could cause you to eat late at night. If you are not eating enough during the day, you may try to make up for it at night. If you can identify your cause of late-night snacking, you may be able to stop eating late at night and avoid unnecessary weight gain and other issues that can stem from late-night snacking.
Set A Schedule
Setting a schedule can help you avoid late-night snacking. If you eat a snack between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner, it may help you avoid the urge of having late-night snacks. Make sure your big meals are breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Your snacks should not be large meals. Your snacks in between large meals should be light but filling. Setting a meal schedule can also help with healthy weight loss.