Many people have been on the fat side because they eat late at night and not too long from that time they go to bed. This is quite unhealthy. However, many other people cannot afford not to snack at night because they are nocturnal and active in the late hours of the day and so, finds a need to refuel their systems.
While as a nutritionist I do not recommend late night eating except the individual is on a mission of weight gain, it is important to educate people on the best food options to consume if at all they need to eat late at night. When you have decided to eat late night, you must take caution on your calorie intake during the day so that your daily food intake would not supercede your recommended requirement. Now, lets go ahead to see the foods you can snack with late night.
1. Banana: This is one fruit that is excellent. It contains numerous vitamins and minerals that will nourish your body. So, when you are tempted to snack on popcorn and other artificially sweetened products, you could just get 1 or 2 finger of banana. The banana contains natural sugars which will cater for your craving for sweet snack while supplying much lower calorie to your body compared to processed snacks like cookies and pop corn. Remember, it is also contains good amount of fiber which enhances proper digestion.
However, it is advisable to limit your consumption to maximum of three fingers if you must consume at night.
2. Yoghurt: Milk products seem to be generally difficult to digest especially to those who are lactose intolerant causing diarrhea and other stomach issues, but yogurt is a clear exception. The presence of bacteria has improved Its digestive ability and our body’s immunity. Besides being rich in probiotics, yogurt is for easier digestion, it is advisable to use plain yogurt without the added fruit, sugar or artificial sweeteners. A low fat yoghurt would be a better choice for late night snacking in order to help quicken digestion.
As I have earlier mentioned, if you are lactose intolerant please stay away from dairy products including yoghurt. A steady inclusion of soy milk into your diets might be a healthy option (see how to make soy milk at home).
3. Apple: Some slices of apples are a good replacement for potato chips which are more calorie-dense. In fact consuming potato chips which are high in carbohydrate is not advisable during late hour. The crunchiness of the apple will give you a level of satisfaction that you will get from chips and other similar snacks while supplying your body with adequate nutrients.
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Note: Most High carbohydrate and fat foods are not good to consume late night because they most times take longer time to digest. In fact fatty foods are the main culprit here. You should ensure you do not go to sleep immediately after funneling some of this food into your system. It could trigger stomach upset in certain individual. Of course there are many other foods that can be eaten late night but be care with their calorie level and how easily they can be digested.
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