What food is healthy to have after dinner?
Whatever the reason, you're in the kitchen and need something healthy to eat—pronto. These
good-for-you options are both satisfying and bonus loaded with nutrients that can even help promote
sleep.
Ideas for Healthy Late-Night Snacks
1. Cereal and Milk
You may reserve cereal for your morning meal. But it also can make a smart midnight snack and help
you sleep. One study found that eating high-glycemic carbs— which many corn-based cereals
are —before bed reduced the time it took for people to fall asleep.
Keep portions small (your entire snack should be under 300 calories), especially if you have problems
with heartburn—heavy meals can exacerbate the problem. One cup of cornflakes has 100 calories,
and a half-cup of skim milk has 45 calories.
Dairy products contain calcium, a mineral that plays a direct role in the production of the sleep
hormone melatonin.1 Plus, it also acts as a natural relaxant in the body.
2. A Bowl of Berries
When your sweet tooth needs satisfying, you can't beat a bowl of berries. Besides being loaded with
fiber, which helps fill you up, berries contain magnesium, a mineral that relaxes nerves and muscles to
speed slumber.
Serve your berries plain, or add some chopped nuts or granola, or a splash of milk.
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly
Nighttime is the right time for this childhood favorite. Here's why: Certain foods, like peanut butter,
contain an amino acid called tryptophan that gets converted in the brain to melatonin to promote
sleepiness.
But carbohydrates like bread and jelly are needed to make tryptophan more available to the brain.
Hence the reason why a PB&J is the perfect pairing for a pre-sleep snack, one that's also yummy and
if you opt for whole grain bread and sugar-free PB (many brands are loaded with sweetener)
nutritious, too.
4. Cheese and Crackers
When you're hungry for something savory at night, just say cheese and crackers. Keep an eye on
your serving sizes if you're watching your weight because cheese can get high in calories and fat if
you eat big chunks of it.
And opt for whole grain crackers, which contain filling fiber. If you need a little more volume to stay
sated until morning, add some fresh grapes, apple slices, or fresh veggies.
5. Yogurt and Fruit
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, which has been linked to better sleep. Just be sure to read
labels before you purchase it because some varieties are high in added sugar—empty calories that
you don't need. Opt for plain yogurt and add flavor with berries, chopped nuts, and antioxidant-rich
honey.
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