As a night owl this dilemma plagues me quite often. At 2 am should I give in to the craving for high calorie fatty food that my heart thinks I want or should I stick to healthy options or settle for a glass of water and go to sleep?
As is the trend nowadays students and young professionals alike stay up till the wee hours of the morning, if not for work or study then to catch up on TV shows.
Scientifically, it is proven that late night munching leads to weight gain as our body ends up storing the fat and calories from whatever we eat at the sedentary time of night.
This does not mean that you should ignore those hunger pangs. There are a few rules you can follow to make your midnight snacking healthy. If you wait an hour after eating before you go to sleep you are giving your body enough time to digest what you ate. Also try to steer clear of fried, spicy, creamy and heavy food, as these not only put empty calories in your body but also disturb your sleep. The third rule is to keep your meal below 300 calories and this will require some quick Googling before eating.
One of the most common solutions to the after dinner snack is a glass of milk. Warm or cold milk is not only filling but also helps if you are having trouble sleeping. Research has shown that calcium deficiency in the body leads to sleep disorders and milk, which is one of the best sources of calcium, makes a nutritious meal on a sleepless night. Adding coffee to a cup of milk will ensure you stay awake if you are required to, and having it cold will help soothe the stomach if you are unable to sleep due to acidity. Milk also contains Tryptophan – an amino acid that acts as a natural anti-depressant and a sleep aid.
Bananas, oats, almonds, yogurt and eggs contain tryptophan, making them very good for having late at night. All of these are low in calories and high in good carbohydrates, which work towards relaxing the muscles and making the brain drowsy.
Salt causes water retention in the body. Most dietitians will advise you not to have salt after 7.30 pm so that your body can digest and process it before you go to bed. Or else you will gain weight because more water gets stored in your body. Keeping with this thought it is also a good idea to avoid overly salty foods like chips, namkeen and any fried food that can be very tempting in the middle of the night.
A scoop of ice-cream will be a better alternative to a packet of chips if you are craving junk food. To avoid salt and calm the cravings fruit like cherries, strawberries, apples, banana and pears can come in handy. Any fruit gives you vitamins, minerals and healthy fiber. For something more filling try having natural yogurt with your fruit.
If you don’t have a sweet tooth and want to munch on something savoury re-heating dinner might not be a very good idea as Indian dinners are usually oily and heavy. Another favourite midnight snack I have come across is instant noodles, which are not healthy to have in the daytime, let alone at night. You can keep it light by having a slice or two of multigrain bread with some peanut butter. You can also have natural popcorn (without butter) to satiate the munchies.
Another delicious option is to have crackers with fat-free or light cheese. You can garnish them with olives, apples or walnuts. Roasted rice crispies (also called laiyya or murmure) with peanuts and chana are very light, extremely filling and delicious. It is hard to stop eating once you start. I speak from experience when I say it’s better to have a small bowl of it with you rather than keeping a whole jar because you will finish whatever you take. You can also add onions, tomatoes and lemon juice to this to make bhelpuri when you feel like having something tangy.
Midnight cravings are hard to satisfy but need not be a reason to fill yourself up with harmful calories. Your fridge and pantry can stock healthy alternatives to the usual snacks, you just have to get a little creative.