5 foods that you can eat late at night while on a weight loss diet
Many a diet can go for a toss because you tried too many things all at once. If you have been a nibbling fan all your life, eating small bites intermittently, you cannot shut down hunger pangs at night just by turning Nelson's eye towards it. It may make you cheat often, binge, or give up altogether.
Instead, make healthy choices, eat sensibly, and keep these items handy for late-night snacking. The idea should be to cheat the stomach by giving it food and achieve the sensible eating target by opting for nutrition rather than calories.
Dieticians argue that occasional late-night snacks are not usually an issue if someone chooses healthy foods. Making a regular habit of it and snacking on unsuitable foods could, however, lead to weight gain or reflux symptoms.
Here are 5 food choices for that late-night bite.
Bananas
Bananas are good not just for your guts but also for your mind. Bananas
help increase melatonin production, which can help you sleep. A good
source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals, bananas are easy to store and
easily available. You can add almond butter to the chopped banana pieces
or make a banana smoothie. Alternatively, you can mix chopped banana
pieces in yoghurt and add some crushed walnuts too. Good fr the brain
and the gut.
Eggs:
This is an incredibly versatile source and variety of snacks, especially
for that late-night tuck-in. You can keep some hard-boiled eggs in the
refrigerator, handy for a quick snack or turn them into egg salad as a
spread for crackers. If you are cholesterol conscious, eat only the egg
white, which has 6 grams of hunger-satisfying protein, as well as
vitamin B2 and lower amounts of fat than the yolk. Eggs are rich sources
of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and
copper. This ‘complete’ source of protein contains all nine essential
amino acids, the ones we cannot synthesise in our bodies and must obtain
from our diet.
Nuts
Always keep a jar of mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, and pistachios) handy
so that when hunger strikes at odd timings you can grab a fistful of
these mixed nuts guilt-free. They are a rich source of protein,
vitamins, and other essential nutrients. Nutritionists claim that eating
1.5 ounces of nuts daily as part of a diet low in saturated fat and
cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Also, pistachios
contain the highest melatonin content among plant foods and can help you
sleep well. Unsalted and unflavoured nuts are the healthiest. Another
nut that you can have in a spread form is peanut butter spread evenly on
a slice of toast, or multigrain bread, or whole wheat bread.
Kiwis
Kiwis are a light, satisfying snack that is rich in vitamin C. Peel and
slice two kiwis, a natural source of serotonin, which promotes
relaxation and gives a feeling of satiation. Tried a Kiwi Sandwich,
ever? Get 4 slices of organic rye bread, 50g mascarpone cheese, and 2
ripe kiwis. Now peel the kiwis and cut them into thin slices. Spread the
mascarpone cheese over the rye bread and place the kiwi slices on top
of the cheese. You are good to go. Another one, here: Make dried kiwi
slices, or a smoothie bowl topping or granola ingredient. Kiwi chips are
easy to make in the oven and is a healthy, low-calorie treat. But make
sure it is fresh fruits you pick for these and not the frozen or canned
variety.
Phool Makhana
Makhana is also known as fox nuts, or as Euryale Ferox, lotus seeds,
gorgon nuts and Phool makhana. A popular homemade snack in most Indian
households, it is also commercially available in ready-to-eat form.
These seeds are often used in quite a few Indian sweets and savouries
like kheer, raita or makhana curry. Have a small bowl of Phool makhana
as your midnight snack. Dry roast or roast them with 1 teaspoon ghee and
sprinkle your favourite masala like powdered kali mirch, dhaniya powder, or curry leaves powder. Add a little salt or sprinkle a tiny amount of saltwater while stirring on the heat. A healthy night time or anytime snacks.