Do you get very hungry before midnight? Here are some satiating food suggestions that won’t disturb your sleep and upset your stomach.
You are at home, spending the night watching your favorite late-night show, TV series or some good flick, relaxing in your couch. Suddenly you get intense food cravings and you start stuffing your mouth with whatever catches your look when opening the fridge. And then you overeat. A study has shown that when overeating before going to bed, causes your body to store these calories in the form of fat.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you should starve yourself before going to bed. It simply means you should choose your snacks wisely. The optimal calorie intake should be up to 300 calories. If you surpass this number you are basically having a late-night meal. You should also leave at least one hour between your snack and going to bed, so that you can give the stomach some time to digest the food properly. If you follow these tips, your overall well-being will improve and you will get leaner.
Strawberry shake
Take kefir (you could also use ordinary yogurt), some strawberries, a teaspoon of honey and mix them in a blender. You’re in for a delicious shake filled with proteins and probiotics that will improve the digestion of food in your intestines.
Blueberries (frozen)
Take a cup of blueberries. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and they have 5 grams of fiber. If you want to add some calories, add some light whipping cream.
Pretzels (Multigrain)
They are the ultimate alternative to potato chips, no matter the shape. A handful of pretzels has slightly over 100 calories. If you want to add protein to the snack, dip them in yogurt. It’s delicious.
Yogurt cubes
If you like ice cream, why not try this alternative: Put some smoothie or a shake, like the yogurt-strawberry suggestion above, into ice cube trays, put them in the fridge and wait ‘till they’re slushy. Enjoy.
Crackers
You can use манѕ brands of crackers, from sesame seeds, multigrain crackers or low-fat mini toasts from rye. You can add some light cheese or hummus on top of them, as well as some thin slices of meat.
Greek Yogurt
Like any other yogurt, it’s protein-rich, has low levels of sugar and it is really satiating. Feel free to experiment with adding your own fruit in it to enhance the flavor.
Cheese Quesadilla
Get some tortillas rich in fiber, add grated low-fat cheese (4-5 grams of fat per oz) between them, then grill both sides on an indoor barbecue or a cast-iron skillet.
Figs (dried)
Take 3 or 4 dried figs and you shouldn’t feel hungry anymore. If you’re still hungry, add some light cheese in the mix.
Dark chocolate
The reason for choosing dark chocolate is that the color itself indicates that it is made with at least 75% cacao, has less sugar in it and has more antioxidants than the milky chocolate.
