A late night snack before hitting the bed is a thought too tempting to resist. While a spicy, high-fat or heavy snack makes you feel full, leaving you tossing and turning in the bed, a healthy late night snack can not only get rid of the post-snack heaviness and restlessness but may also take care of the excessive weight gain that people are often worried about. Instead of going to bed starving, go for a healthy snack and have a sound sleep.
Great Healthy Late Night Snacks for You
How do you define a healthy late night snack? Well, for starters make sure that whatever you eat counts as a snack and not a proper meal. Anything above 300 calories is a meal, not a snack. So keep a tab on that. Let's see what is on the list of healthy snacks that you can have for the midnight cravings.
1. Strawberry Shake
Strawberries are the powerhouses of nutrients. Teeming with vitamin C and antioxidants, strawberries like all the other berries are a rich source of fiber too, keeping your tummy full for a long time. Strawberry smoothie or strawberry shake can make an excellent late night snack for people who are calorie conscious because of its low calorie but high fiber content.
2. Frozen Blueberries
Choosing frozen blueberries is always win-win. One cup of blueberries only gives you 80 calories, but fills your tummy like no other. Not only is this a healthy option for late night snacking but its high water and antioxidant content makes your skin glow and holds off the signs of aging.
3. Yogurt Cubes
Consuming yogurt on a daily basis is one of the best things you could do to your body, so why not late at night? Instead of junkies, try some plain low-fat yogurt. In addition to satisfying the midnight craving, it creates a balance between the gut bacteria and aids digestion.
However, make sure you consume unsweetened yogurt because flavored yogurt is going to give you some extra baggage (weight). Also, low-fat is better than no-fat due to the absence of additives present in no-fat type, which is not good for the body.
4. Carrots
Among all healthy late night snacks, carrot can never be missed. It can work wonders when it comes to midnight cravings and can be a treat for your taste buds too if dipped in hummus (yet another amazing thing to try for late night snacks). Carrots being fluid-dense make you feel full quickly, and the vitamin and antioxidant content of the veggie gives your skin a glow, keeping it healthy. Good news for people on diet is that not only does it help in preventing weight gain but also helps in shedding a few pounds.
5. Pretzels
Pretzels make an excellent choice for late night munching and can be delicious too if dipped in sour cream or mixed with low-fat cheese. Being a whole grain snack, it prevents over-consumption of calories and fills the tummy well. Instead of pretzels, you can try crackers but do avoid choosing white, starchy crackers.
6. Popcorn
Popcorn is a fiber-rich snack that adds less than 100 calories but wards off craving effectively. Air-popped corn is naturally high in antioxidants and fiber but low in calories, fat and sodium. So it is one of the great healthy late night snacks.
7. Kale Chips
These chips are an excellent alternative for the regular potato chips. Basically, you get the salty crunch without the fat and extra calories. Freshly baked chips are an absolute treat for the taste buds. But kale chips give you a lot more than the regular chips, like vitamin A, C and K, and carotenoids (cancer-fighting chemicals).
8. Pumpkin Seeds
Not tempting right? But pumpkin seeds can very well tackle with a midnight craving as well as restlessness. Just one serving of pumpkin seeds provides you with 50% of the recommended intake of magnesium, a mineral that helps in relaxing. High-magnesium snacks at midnight might come in handy.
9. Almonds
Raw, unsalted almonds, either taken separately or combined with fruits like blueberries, are an excellent healthy late night snack. Almonds have healthy monosaturated fats, protein, fiber and various other nutrients. It can lower cholesterol level, blood pressure and regulate blood sugar levels. Avoid taking roasted, salted or flavored almonds and make sure the count doesn’t exceed 15. Also, most of the antioxidants are in the brown layer of the nut, so consuming blanched almonds is not a very good idea.
10. Milk
Cereal with milk is something we start our day with. But what if I told you that this could be one of those healthy late night snacks as well? However make sure that you keep sugary cereals at bay. Go for whole-grain cereals instead. Besides, warm milk alone has been used as a sleep-inducing drink for a long time. If taken with a bit of honey, the sugar content is boosted without giving your stomach a hard time in digestion.
11. Bananas
Craving for something sweet at night? Well, how about bananas? While, bananas might not sound very interesting and tempting, but wait before you see how beneficial they could be. This is an instant energy treat, which is rich in vitamins and nutrients. A medium sized banana provides you with 3 grams of fiber, filling your tummy well. With its melatonin increasing properties, it will definitely help in getting a sound sleep.
12. Eggs
If not early in the morning, a hard-boiled egg can make a good snack in the middle of night. Packed with proteins but low in calories, eggs could be a good choice for healthy snacking.
13. Lavender Tea
Want more healthy late night snacks? Here comes lavender tea. Lavender tea can be the key to a good night’s sleep, which can often be used in a number of products like lotions and candles as a sleep promoter. Even better, a cup of decaffeinated lavender tea can calm you down and help you relax.
14. Dark Chocolate
With less sugar and a higher cocoa content, few cubes of dark chocolate can help in lowering blood pressure and satisfying your craving as well. It is a good substitute for the sweet ones.