7 perfect snacks to combat nighttime hunger attacks | Lifestyle

Getting good sleep is essential for health, as levels of the hormone leptin, which is responsible for feeling full, rise during sleep, and levels of the hormone ghrelin, which sends hunger signals, decrease when going to bed. To give the body a chance to sleep.

But the matter is not without a pressing feeling of hunger at night, which may spoil this equation, for reasons such as: eating the last meal too early, tension and stress, fluctuating blood sugar levels, or vitamin D deficiency, according to what the certified nutritionist stated. , Katherine Metzelaar, for Well & Good.

Her colleague Michelle Reker, also a certified nutritionist, also pointed out the effect of “the lack of food required to obtain the calories the body needs during the day, especially after intense evening exercise, which may consume more energy and cause nighttime hunger.”

Fake or real hunger?

Certified nutritionist Barbara Rohs told the American newspaper Huff Post, “Anxiety may wake us up in the middle of the night, so we confuse it with hunger.” In this case, she advises just drinking a cup of any caffeine-free herbal tea to calm the nerves.

While to extinguish the flame of true hunger, Metzelaar stresses the importance of “not going without food during the day, for more than 4 to 5 hours maximum,” and making sure to eat a sufficient amount of foods that include a lot of proteins, healthy fats, vegetables, whole grains, and complex carbohydrates; To keep energy levels high, and feel active and satisfied throughout the day.

And then reduce the bouts of hunger at night, which cause many people to rush to the kitchen and eat whatever candy, potato chips, and sauce that falls under their hand, or any steak left over from lunch, which may make it difficult for them to go back to sleep again, and make them start their next day uncomfortable. This causes them health problems such as: weight gain.

According to the Healthline website, there is increasing scientific evidence that eating very late at night may make weight control more difficult.

Perfect meals

According to research published in 2015, “If you’re really hungry late at night, it’s okay to eat a small, nutrient-dense snack of less than 200 calories.”

These are 7 examples of these meals that a group of certified nutritionists told HuffPost, “They are ideal for overcoming nighttime hunger attacks, and at the same time helping you return to sleep.”

• Turkey breast slices

Certified Nutritionist, Marissa Mechoulam sees; Turkey breast is “a great option to quell after-midnight cravings, whether eaten alone or stuffed into half a sandwich.”

She explains that turkey breast slices “are known to help you feel sleepy, relaxed, and return to sleep again, as they are rich in the amino acid called (L-tryptophan), which turns into the sleep hormone (melatonin); in addition to their protein content, which “is sufficient to suppress the feeling of hunger until the morning.” .

• Cheese and crackers rich in fiber

According to Mechoulam, “Any snack we choose to keep us full for the rest of the night should contain protein and fiber”; This is found in protein-rich cheese, which also contains some sleep aid tryptophan, and fibre-filled crackers. Mechoulam recommends biscuits made from almond flour to ensure stable blood sugar levels.

According to Healthline, “Combining foods rich in carbohydrates (such as crackers) with a good source of tryptophan (such as cheese) helps increase the effectiveness of tryptophan to support sleep,” and a serving of 4 pieces of whole-wheat crackers and one piece of cheddar cheese is provided. Low fat, about 150 calories.

• Refreshing vegetable meal with hummus

It is a refreshing and crunchy vegetable meal; Such as: baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers, with hummus, “the perfect quick and easy midnight snack,” says registered dietitian Amanda Frankini, adding that “two tablespoons of hummus may be enough to provide protein, fiber, and complete satisfaction.”

• Banana and peanut butter

One study found “a more than 4-fold increase in blood melatonin levels within two hours of participants eating two bananas.”

Bananas and nut or peanut butter can be balanced snacks to maintain stable blood sugar, which is essential for getting good sleep.

Bananas contain potassium, which helps relax muscles, in addition to complex carbohydrates, which control high blood sugar that is harmful to sleep,” according to Frankini, who considers combining bananas with peanut butter at night a healthy and saturated source of fat and tryptophan, which causes sleepiness.

As for Metzelaar, she recommends putting almond butter and bananas on whole-wheat bread, “to win a balanced snack before bed, combining protein, carbohydrates, and fat.”

• Cherry and pistachio

Many studies conducted on sour cherries have shown that eating snacks from them in the middle of the night is a great way that can lead to better sleep, given that they naturally contain melatonin. It can also be combined with pistachios, which combine fat and protein, in addition to some melatonin as well.

• Cereals and milk

A cup of warm milk may be ideal for getting us back to sleep easily after waking up during the night hours, as milk contains calcium, which helps the body produce melatonin.

To get a light, filling and balanced meal to maintain blood sugar levels, low-sugar whole grains can be added to milk.

• Snacks from nuts

Frankini warns against resorting to chocolate or coffee as midnight snacks; Because they may keep you awake for long hours, unlike walnuts, almonds, and pistachios, which provide natural melatonin, protein and magnesium, achieve a feeling of fullness, and stimulate sleep.