02/28/2020 / By Darnel Fernandez
People often mention that eating late at night can be quite bad for your health. However, there are certain healthy foods you can eat that can not only satisfy your cravings but can also improve the quality of your sleep.
Recent research has linked late-night eating to increased weight gain. In fact, according to a study presented at SLEEP 2017, the 31st annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, eating late at night can increase your weight, insulin and cholesterol levels, as well as negatively affect your fat metabolism and hormonal markers implicated in heart disease, diabetes and other health problems. They also found that eating later also increased a series of measures reflecting negative metabolic profiles like insulin, fasting glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
According to Naomi Goel, lead author of the study, “Eating later can promote a negative profile of weight, energy, and hormone markers — such as higher glucose and insulin, which are implicated in diabetes, and cholesterol and triglycerides, which are linked with cardiovascular problems and other health conditions.”
However, if you’re truly hungry, other studies suggest that a small, nutrient-rich snack under 200 calories is generally enough to satisfy people at night. Some snacks even contain compounds that help you sleep better. Below you can find a list of healthy snacks that are sure to satisfy your midnight munchies. (Related: Who says bedtime snacks are bad? Here are some late-night snack options for people with diabetes.)
If you’re really hungry late at night, a little snack shouldn’t be enough to tip the scales. Many of these foods can provide sleep-promoting compounds like tryptophan and melatonin. The best thing you can do is keep a few of these healthy snacks readily available at home so you can resist the urge to drop by a convenience store or fast food joint for a bite of unhealthy foods.
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Tagged Under: avocado, banana, chia seeds, Diets, healthy snacks, hummus, kiwi, melatonin, pumpkin seeds, salmon, serotonin, sleep, snacks, sweet potato, tart cherry juice, tryptophan, vegetables, vitamin D, weight loss
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