Midnight Snack Attack!
How to Avoid Unhealthy Snacking at Night
Midnight cravings are not uncommon, and it gets especially hard to resist temptation when one knows that the fridge is stocked full of goodies – chocolates, ice cream, chips, the like. It is a universally-shared opinion that unhealthy food always tastes better than healthy ones, hence when people are longing for food, they generally reach out for the yummiest – but least healthy – options.
Sticking to Mealtimes
The best way to overcome midnight snacking is to stick to a planned schedule and balanced diet, because snacking at night is usually due to the appetite not having been satisfied during the day. Eating small meals throughout the day, especially when activity levels are at their peak, will maintain the stability of blood sugar levels, and keep the body equipped with sufficient energy.
Try to do away with late nights, because obviously one gets hungrier when a longer time has elapsed after one’s last meal. Unfortunately, for some this option may not be a viable one, as they have so much work during the day that they are forced to burn the midnight oil.
Healthy Snack Options
Midnight snacks do not necessarily have to be unhealthy to be fulfilling. For instance, try having fresh fruits, like apples or bananas. They are low in calories but high in energy, and also easy to digest, allowing you to sleep with an empty stomach after a few hours.
Low fat desserts such as yoghurt can also be a good idea. A serving of Yoplait yoghurt carries approximately 100 calories, and is full of nutrition. Other options along the similar lines include crackers with low-fat cheese, or cereal and skim milk.
Drinks can also hit the spot late at night, especially hot drinks like tea. Watch out for caffeine levels however, especially if it is a deterrent to sleep. Alternatively, a glass or two of water may help soothe the protesting tummy.
Overcoming Insomnia
For others, midnight munching is not a case of hunger but simply trying to get to sleep. Hence they indulge in comfort food, which does nothing for the figure – a 2005 Cornell University research found that foods high in sugar and fat content are more efficient in alleviating negative feelings such as stress.
A substitute is to snack on some unsalted almonds. The satisfying crunch will help work off the anxiety which prevents sleep; while vitamin B and magnesium stimulate the production of serotonin, a relaxing hormone. And at only 160 calories for about 22 almonds, insomniacs can do away with further weight worries.
Snacking Times and Proportion
Although it is a common truism that food consumed at night packs on more kilograms than food consumed during the day, a 2006 study in Obesity Research has shown that this is not entirely true. Certainly, the body’s metabolism slows down at night, when less activity is performed. However, the gaining of weight is not inherently linked to the time of the day in which meals are eaten – it really depends on the amount of calories consumed.
Be sure to snack in proportion, and have food which is rich in both carbohydrates and proteins to last through the night.
Almonds alleviate stress
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Fruit makes healthy snacks
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