Healthy Late-Night Snacks: Choose Nutritious Options to Avoid Nocturnal Eating Disorders

Nutritionists say that the desire to eat at night can arise from several causes. These include unbalanced blood sugar levels, irregular meals and nocturnal eating disorders. Other factors that can trigger this habit are irregular sleep schedules and stress.

Choose nutritious snacks to avoid late-night meals

It is advisable to consult a nutritionist if you have developed a habit of eating at night. You may need to check if your body is lacking certain vitamins or minerals. A possible deficiency can push you to look for ways to make up for it.

When you eat unhealthy snacks at night, you can wake up in the morning with a state of irritation and a feeling of physical discomfort, according to NDTV specialists.

That’s why it’s advisable to look for healthier alternatives that can provide you with the necessary nutrients to keep you feeling full for the long term.

Once you analyze all the details, you can decide which snack is right for you. You have a lot of options where you can select the most convenient one.

Half a sandwich of wholemeal bread and turkey meat

Half a turkey sandwich is a good choice. Your body digests whole grains more slowly, so you feel fuller for longer. And turkey meat contains an amino acid that helps you fall asleep.

Before choosing nutritious snacks to avoid nighttime meals, determine what your preferences are. If you don’t like turkey, try peanut butter or almond butter on slices of whole wheat toast. Peanut butter contains healthy fats that increase your levels of serotonin, a feel-good substance that helps you relax.

Whole grain crackers with cheese

When calculating the calorie content of the serving, keep in mind that certain cheeses can have a high calorie count. Try a small amount of whole grain crackers with a spoonful of cottage cheese.

Opt for whole grain crackers, which contain fiber. If you need a larger portion to feel full throughout the night, add fresh grapes, apple slices or fresh vegetables.

Popcorn

Popcorn is made from expanded corn kernels that have been held for several minutes at high temperatures. They’re a good alternative, as long as they’re not dipped in butter or way too salty, say BBC Good Food specialists. They can also be an option to choose nutritious snacks to avoid late-night meals.

Corn is a whole grain and contains lots of fiber, antioxidants and carbohydrates. Naturally, it is easily digested, so you can eat it without feeling discomfort before going to bed.

Low Sugar Granola Bar

Granola bars can be nutritious snacks to avoid late night meals. These are a good substitute for a cookie as long as you check the nutrition label. The label should list: protein, fiber and an acceptable amount of sugar.

Another variation is to combine half a banana with a handful of almonds. Both are good sources of magnesium, a mineral that can help you relax and fall asleep.

Greek yogurt with fruit

Greek yogurt contains a lot of protein and melatonin, a hormone that helps you fall asleep. For consumption, you can cover it with fruits or seeds.

choose nutritious snacks to avoid late-night meals, keeping their sugar levels in mind as well. Instead of loading up on a blood sugar-sapping sweetener, you can top your Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and crunchy chia seeds.

Oat

Oats can be soothing, and their fiber helps you feel full longer. Oatmeal also contains melatonin.

A warm bowl of oatmeal can be just the thing for a sleepless night. Oatmeal is a rich source of fiber, including beta-glucan, which can help keep your cholesterol under control. Many prefer oats for their texture and flavor, while many avoid them because they take a long time to prepare.

Besides these, the examples of easy foods for digestion are countless: toast with hummus, hummus with steamed vegetable sticks, nuts, makhana (fox nuts) or 100 ml of milk. You have enough ideas to choose nutritious snacks to avoid late-night meals.