Ishraq Ahmed Hashmi
Reviewed by Elisabetta Politi, CDE, MPH, RD
This one is for anyone who has cravings right before dinner
time or before going to bed.
Full disclaimer: It’s
common knowledge that eating late at night could cause one to gain some weight.
That is especially so if you are consuming foods that contain refined
carbohydrates and starches such as bread, rice, potato chips, cookies and other
snack foods most of which have low fiber content and high sugar content. Oh
yeah, they might satisfy your hunger in the meantime, but if the converted
energy is not utilized, those calories turn into fat. Who would have thought
that this would be bad news for your waistline?
However, as many authorities will attest, it is inadvisable to
sleep with an empty stomach (and here’s why). Well, when the stomach grumbles
after the light has been switched off what do you do? Instead, you may want to
grab a handful of cottage cheese which is high in protein.
That was the food used in a study done at Florida State
University and published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2018 which
concluded that taking 30 grams of protein about 30 minutes before bedtime could
be good for metabolism. Although the sample was small and comprised only active
twentysomething women, it was prospectively the first study to investigate this
possibility in whole foods rather than the protein powders, shakes, and other protein
supplementation investigated in previous work.
Don’t like cottage cheese?
Don’t worry: Well, there are a host of other better protein
options available, such as any of these healthy late-night snacks recommended
by nutritionists.
“It may be helpful to
snack on things like sliced lean meat such as chicken or beef, tofu, boiled egg
or a small portion of almonds before going to bed so that you do not feel
hungry at night,” recommended Bridgette Agee, RN, B. S. N. , Bariatric Program
Manager of Cedars Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital, California and who did not
participate in the study. “The above foods will also supply energy that is
needed in metabolism hence enhancing your weight loss desires.”
Almonds or walnuts are
some of the nutritious nuts that one can take and few of my suggestions might
be really suitable for clients who are lactose intolerant, vegan, and for those
who do not prefer to take dairy products. Nuts are particularly rich in the
good fats also a source of proteins and nutrient-rich foods such as vitamin E,
selenium and magnesium among others. But always ensure that they are taken in
the right portions – I hope you get what I mean by mindful intake of foods. e.
, limit it to a handful, as you realize that calories can easily pile up.
If dairy is not a problem
you may also wanna add mozzarella string cheese to the snack options. Less than
100 calorie and packed with six grams of protein and one gram of carbs, which
also include some calcium and vitamin D. In addition, due to its perfectly
portioned packs, one cannot overindulge.
Although this small shift
may help to work some sort of miracle, the fact of the matter is that in order
for this to work, people need to start losing weight by reducing their caloric
intake. Elimination of unhealthy snaking is also part of it and planning plays
a key role in the same. “It is recommended that you take a lean protein and
vegetables every four to five hours to have energy required to initiate and
sustain losing weight,” according to the Agee. “Upon planning, you can [also]
ensure that the healthy foods are in places so that boredom does not lead to
the consumption of unhealthy foods.”
Of course, smart food
isn’t just for the night. Check out these 30 healthy foods that can curb your
cravings and still help you lose weight.
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