Healthy Late Night Treats

Imagine you're surfing through your favorite late night talk shows when the apparent rumble of a starving tummy fills the space. There are lots of reasons why we may get a food craving in the middle of the night. While it could come from through dullness, things like dehydration, an absence of protein and real hunger after an early supper are likewise to blame.

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A common misconception is that eating after a particular point in the day is "bad" and that late night snacking is one perpetrator that can result in weight gain. After all, we burn less calories when we sleep. So instead of being used for energy, those late night calories are simply going to get kept as fat, right? Not always.

The reality is, your body burns calories around the clock. While it's true that you burn more calories while awake, the main focus is on the overall quantity of calories you take in throughout the day, not necessarily the timing of them. If you delight in a bowl of ice cream one day, whether it's at 7 a.m., 2 p.m. or 11 p.m.-- it doesn't matter the time. What matters is if those calories are in extra of what you have to take in each day. So, while late night treats might not be as bad for your midsection as you might have believed, all junk food are not developed equivalent.

Regrettably, later on in the evening and in the wee hours of the early morning, we are frequently at the mercy of convenience. Although there may be healthy choices available, we tend to make poor choices when we are overtired and overly starving. Often times, these "benefit" snacks are high in fat and sugar and low in nutrition. In order to prevent derailing a healthy consuming strategy during the night, focus on making some of these much healthier options.

Making Healthy Choices
First things initially, your late-night eating ought to be more of a "mini-meal" with a definite beginning and finish, rather than mindless grazing. Meal foods also have the tendency to have greater quantities of protein than traditional junk food. Protein is going to be much more filling than sugary or starchy foods, leaving you less most likely to rob the kitchen area once again an hour later on.

Also, because dehydration is one of the primary offenders for good food cravings, start off by drinking some water when you get the cravings pains in the middle of the night. If you are dehydrated, the water will satisfy the hunger you are feeling. Prevent drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages. If drinking water still leaves you starving, visit the kitchen area and prepare yourself some healthy treats.

Midnight Mini-Meal Concepts

Little dish of low-fat cottage cheese and canned or fresh fruit
One string cheese and a piece of fresh fruit or entire grain crackers
A little cup of edamame
A handful nuts
A small entire wheat pita with hummus
Half of a turkey sandwich
Celery sticks or apple slices with peanut butter
A little 3oz can of tuna with a couple of whole grain crackers
A little bowl of whole grain cereal with fat complimentary or 1 % low-fat milk

If you are a consistent late night snacker, devote a small area in your fridge to late night snacks and keep some pre-prepared healthy choices on hand. That way, when hunger strikes you will be ready and less lured to delight in the less healthy snack options.