It’s midnight, and are you craving food? Do you feel like having a pizza, a burger, a couple of doughnuts, or maybe a few momos? Midnight cravings are very common, and most people like to indulge in eating whatever they can get their hands on. However, eating healthy late-night snacks is not as difficult as you may think. Here, we share some healthy late-night snack ideas with you.
Read on to find out!
Early to Bed and Early to Rise is Rarely Practised these days
This unhealthy lifestyle of getting late to bed is not only common among adults, but it equally affects urban kids and teenagers. Today, children prefer playing with their gadgets over playing outdoors. Most of them are gadget freaks who spend hours watching movies and playing games on their iPads or other tablet devices, accompanied by a big bowl of chips, maybe even a few rolls or chocolates, till the wee hours of the night.
People like you and me are either staying awake, streaming their favorite movie, binge-watching the latest season of Game of Thrones, cheering for their favorite EPL team, or it could just be office work that is making you a nocturnal creature.
Midnight is the time when most people feel a craving for snacks. Even if you’ve had dinner at 8, you’ll again start feeling hungry if you are awake late. Most of us end up eating junk food when this happens. Especially for all the health-conscious people, this is one thing that is very unhealthy. Unhealthy, because this does not necessarily mean that one is hungry; it could just be due to boredom, being awake, or a habit that one has developed over the years.
The health hazards of such behavior are many, from weight gain to bloating to acid reflux to triggering stress hormones and much more.
Taking these health issues into account, here we talk about the junk we usually consume and some healthy late-night snacks that are better alternatives!
Ice Creams
When you open your fridge and find a tub full of ice cream, you will obviously eat it. Who wouldn’t, right? However, instead of gulping down store-bought ice cream, how about making your own? Just take some ricotta cheese and blend some berries and nuts—your homemade ice cream is ready!
Salty Snacks
It could be chips, nachos, fries, or a thousand other things, but do you know what all of them have in common? It is full of saturated fats and oodles of salt, which can result in an unwanted increase in blood pressure and metabolism, which can lead to stroke and weight gain, respectively. So how about having some roasted makhanas, puffed rice, wheat, or millet with rock salt and black pepper instead? You can also try having avocados with some yogurt—this is not only healthy but absolutely yummy!
Cookies/ Brownies
Cookies and brownies are one of the many indulgences that most people enjoy, especially children. However, these can wreak havoc on the body’s blood sugar balance, spiking it erratically. Instead, have some fruits, homemade brownies, squeezed sponge Rasgulla (a Bengali sweet), or simply 2-3 pieces of dark chocolate to control that temptation.
Fried Nuts
Rich in trans fats, packaged fried nuts can easily hamper our blood pressure levels, trigger a heart attack, and cause fatigue. Instead, have something sweet with a crunch—mix half a cup of crunchy cereal with a small container of fat-free Greek yogurt rich in both dietary fiber and protein. Even some fruits, like dates and pomegranates, can be had along with some nuts and a few pieces of dark chocolate, satisfying the temptations for both sweets and nuts.
Pizza
The all-time favorite pizza, with loads of cheese and bread, can significantly spike up the sugar levels. Instead, one can go for his or her own multigrain toasted pizza at home with a good choice of fresh vegetables and some healthy cheese.
Other Healthy Late-Night Snacks Ideas
Here I have jotted down a list of healthy late-night snacks that you could binge on. These are snacks, especially for teenagers or youngsters who seldom like eating fruits. Some healthy late night snacks ideas are as follows:
- 1/2 cup protein mix (a mixture that is easily available with nuts and seeds)
- 1/2 cup roasted wheat (it’s a snack that is available just like puffed rice)
- 1 medium bowl of popcorn (without butter)
- 1/2 cup roasted mung beans (Moong)
- 1 glass of milk (saffron and cardamom can be added; coffee can also be added once in a while but in moderation so as to prevent functional disturbances like sleep issues, irritability, and nervousness).
- 1 bowl of papaya, cucumber, or pomegranate
- 2 boiled egg whites (sprinkle rock salt and black pepper over them)
- Boiled Cauliflower with Olive Oil and Sea Salt
- Crunchy Muesli + milk
- Amaranth pop mix
- Wheat Rusks (2)
- Green tea, black coffee, or black tea with roasted 5-7 almonds
- Sprouts salad (with olive oil dressing)
- Boiled black gram (kala-chana) salad with olive oil dressing
- Homemade Snack Mix (made with roasted nuts and cereals or grains)
- 1 vegetarian multigrain bread sandwich (2 multigrain bread slices with coleslaw)
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas/black grams (Channa)
Bottom Line
Take your last bite before 9 p.m. to be fitter and healthier. However, if you need to have something, always opt for some healthy late-night snacks, as listed above. This will help you to avoid weight gain and other health issues. Do you have any other late-night snack ideas? Share with us in the comments box below.
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