In today’s fast paced life and busy culture, snacks help people stay happy and healthy as they live their lives on-the-go. Well, not always! Especially just about any snacks before bed just does not work!
With millions of snacks in the world to choose from, there is a higher chance that we will choose an unhealthy snack, either based on a craving or lack of information, which is especially dangerous for late-night snacking.
It is likely for one to gain weight if they opt for the typical high-calorie and high-fat snacks and then eat them mindlessly over bedtime TV shows. But, with the right low-calorie snacks, nighttime eating can actually aid in weight loss, reducing overall cravings and overeating.
Eating the following nutrient-dense snacks will help your body utilize its protein sources to build muscle and boost metabolic functions while you sleep:
Hummus Toast with Mixed Seed Blend
Ingredients & Preparation: Spread 2 tablespoons of hummus (plain or your preferred flavor) on 1 slice of whole-grain toast. Top with pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds.
Nutritional Value: 300 calories, 24g carbohydrates, 7g fiber, 10g protein, 10g fat
Why Choose this Snack?
Hummus is made from chickpeas, which are easily digestible and rich in B vitamins. B vitamins help your body metabolize carbs, fats, and proteins so that you can use the stored energy from food and won’t wake up as hungry the next day.
Waking up starving can lead to over-eating, so not just whole-wheat bread but choosing one that is high in fiber will help you feel full. Not only will this snack help you metabolize nutrients as you sleep, but it may even help you sleep better.
Magnesium is found in wheat flour, which is known to affect sleep quality positively.
Pumpkin seeds contain zinc, which is crucial for burning fat and producing more testosterone, which helps build muscle. They have more zinc than any other seed.
Hemp seeds contain Omega-3, which helps your body burn fat. Chia seeds are low fat and full of fiber, which will leave you feeling fuller longer.
Interesting Fact about Hummus:
Many people tend to think of Greece and other Middle Eastern or Mediterranean countries when it comes to hummus. Though, the earliest mention of hummus dates back to the 13th century in Egypt!
Cottage Cheese with Hard-Boiled egg and Hot Sauce
Ingredients & Preparation: Scoop 1/2 cup of cottage cheese into a boil and top with one hard-boiled egg (sliced in half). Drizzle with hot sauce.
Nutritional Value: 165 calories, 4.4g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 21.1g protein, 6.6g fat
Why Choose this Snack?
Cottage cheese is an excellent bedtime snack because it is so high in protein and low in calories and carbohydrates.
Incorporating protein into your bedtime snack will help your muscles to repair themselves better as you sleep, and muscles need to repair in order to grow.
Cottage cheese is also high in calcium, which is linked to weight maintenance and loss, along with other dairy components.
Calcium in the diet is also known to speed up metabolic processes to decrease fat accumulation and increase fat loss.
Hard-boiled eggs are not only easy to prepare, but eggs are another great source of protein to this snack. They may be low in calories, but they will keep you full. Eggs are also high in amino acids, which help burn calories by boosting your metabolism.
Because hot peppers contain capsaicin, which raises body temperature and could help increase your metabolic rate, adding hot sauce not only gives this snack a hint of flavor, but it can contribute to fat loss.
Interesting Fact about Hot Sauce:
The first hot sauce was introduced in 1807. In 1868, Tabasco Sauce came to the market and is the oldest brand still thriving today, making it one of the best-selling condiments in the country.
Cinnamon Toasted Almonds
Ingredients & Preparation: Combine 2 cups of whole raw almonds in a bowl, with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss in the bowl to coat the almonds. Spread the almonds out onto a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour.
Nutritional Value: 167 calories, 7g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 5g protein, 16g fat
Why Choose this Snack?
Like other warm baking spices, cinnamon may help boost metabolism. Cinnamon can increase insulin sensitivity to decrease blood sugar, which is instrumental in the process of weight loss.
Almonds will provide you with an added boost of protein at the end of your day, and they are also relatively low in calories. They also contain tryptophan and magnesium, which can help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep longer.
Interesting Fact about Almonds:
Almonds are not as easy to grow as one may think. They require scorching weather and cold winters and are 100% reliant on bees for crop pollination.
Nut Butter Banana Greek Yogurt Bowl
Ingredients & Preparation: Put 1 cup of plain greek yogurt in a bowl, and top with slices of banana. Melt nut butter in a microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds and drizzle 1 tablespoon on top of the bananas. Top with ground flax seed, nutmeg, or cinnamon.
Nutritional Value: 170 calories, 34g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 5g protein, 3.5g fat
The nutritional values above are based on one whole banana. If you prefer only to use half, the remaining half should keep in the fridge until the next day.
Why Choose this Snack?
Plain greek yogurt is a cold and refreshing snack option for nighttime. Yogurt is rich in casein, making it another snack option that won’t make you feel as hungry when you wake.
You can create many combos using yogurt as a base, and bananas are made up of fast-digesting carbs, which is why bananas are recommended as the choice of fruit for this as a nighttime snack.
Fast digestion is what you want to look for as far as snacks before bed because nighttime is the slowest time for digestion. The metabolism slows when you sleep and can decrease as much as 35 percent in deep sleep cycles.
Bananas are also a source of magnesium, which can lower levels of stress-inducing hormones for better sleep.
In addition, yogurt and banana can improve your gastrointestinal tract by detoxing and cleansing your colon over night.
Interesting Fact about Bananas:
Bananas are the fourth most popular agricultural product. The average American eats an average of 27 pounds of bananas per year, and more than 100 billion of them are eaten yearly around the world.
Wheat Crackers with Low-Sodium Turkey Breast and Brie
Ingredients & Preparation: Place turkey breast onto crackers. Top with a thin slice of brie cheese.
Nutritional Value: 282 calories, 22.1g carbohydrates, 1.8g fiber, 17g protein, 14.5g fat
Why Choose this Snack?
Preparation for this snack is simple, making it an excellent night time option. The protein from lunch meat will keep you full throughout the night. Not to mention the added grams of protein from the brie cheese.
For fewer calories and fat, though, you can drop the dairy and just do turkey and crackers.
Interesting Fact about Brie:
Brie is a creamy, rich, and soft cheese from the French region of Brie. Legend has it that several hundred years ago, French Emperor Charlemagne first fell in love with Brie cheese, and it came to be known as the “The Queen of Cheeses”.
