Hungry Late at Night? A Complete Guide for Late Night Snacking: 10 Healthy Late-Night Snacks for Your Hunger Pangs That Don't Disrupt Your Sleep Cycle or Induce Heartburn! (2020)

Getting hungry at night is quite common. It is a natural urge. But why do you get hungry at night when you are probably resting or sleeping? You can survive on a pretty much healthy diet all day long only to dash it all at night and binge on carb-rich food.

Well, blame it on your circadian rhythm. The internal clock in our body is tuned to seek sweet and starchy foods in evenings and nights. In the days of our ancestors, when they were hunters and gatherers, it would have worked well and good. A good meal to finish the day after long and hard work is what their body needed. But in this time when most of your day is spent sedentary, you do not need such a diet.

Whatever the reason is, make sure your late-night snacks are healthy and promote sleep. Your healthy late-night snacks should ideally be high protein and within 200 calories. It should not be laden with salt and sugar. A snack loaded with salt and sugar is a recipe for disaster and would pack on the KGs you were desperate to reduce.

Surprised to see popcorn here? Interestingly, popcorn is a healthy snack with about 100 calories in 3 cups of the same. It is also a complex carb that fills you up much better than a cup of ice cream. Besides, it being a complex carb, it also contains serotonin, the sleep hormone. But remember to skip the butter as it is fat-rich and might disturb your sleep cycle. If possible, invest in an air popper for a healthier option.

The most beloved and healthy snack yoghurt can also be an ideal late-night snack. Yoghurt, especially Greek Yoghurt, is a good source of calcium and protein. The calcium present aids the brain in utilizing the serotonin and tryptophan. This, in turn, helps you sleep longer and better. Top it with fresh fruits, berries, nuts, and chia seeds for a filling snack. Replace the yoghurt with a low-fat version if you are predisposed to indigestion.

Veggies and dip are a healthy snack at any time of the day, even at night, when you are craving something crunchy. Anything from celery, cucumber, carrots, zucchini, and peppers work best as a snack. Add a delicious dip like cottage cheese for some calcium. Else you could also go for hummus. Not only is it rich in plant-based protein but also vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 aids the brain in converting tryptophan to serotonin.

A hot bowl of oatmeal is not just perfect for breakfast but also as a healthy late-night snack for people with diabetes too. It is an excellent source of fibre and a complex carb, which can be quite filling too. The complex carbs break down slowly in the system, keeping the blood sugar under control. The complex carbs also help release melatonin, which soothes you and induces sleep. They also keep your cholesterol under check.

Sometimes when you really crave meat, always reach a slice of turkey meat. Turkey is known to be rich in tryptophan, which is a sleep-inducing agent. Have it as a sandwich with whole wheat bread, tomato, lettuce, and little mayo. The combination of protein and the complex carb is very fulfilling for a very long time. If you are looking for a low-calorie version, have a lettuce wrap instead of a sandwich.

If you have an empty pantry with nothing but bananas, you can still have a delicious snack. Slice your banana and add some peanut butter. Banana is rich in magnesium and potassium, which are known as muscle relaxants. They also have tryptophan, which in addition to the above, makes you sleepy. Have this combination for a late-night snack, and you are ready for good night sleep.

Remember your mom asking you to finish your day with a warm glass of milk. Milk and other dairy products contain tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin. The combination of the above promotes sleep. Why not combine it with a bowl of cereal to keep hunger pangs at bay? But make sure you eat just one serving to be within the 200 calorie limit. The cereals you choose for your night snack should not contain sugar of any kind. Replace your sugary cereal with high-fibre whole-grain cereals for a healthy snack.

Another surprising entry here is the cheese. Cheese is a dairy product rich in calcium and protein. Calcium makes tryptophan accessible to your brain, which in turn produces serotonin and melatonin. Include a carb like a whole-grain cracker, and you get a wholesome meal with some added fibre. Top the protein-carb combination with veggies, and you have a filling mini-meal. Coming to cheese, go for goat cheese, feta and halloumi. Avoid aged cheese at night.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but does it keep the sleep away? Your favourite snack helps you to sleep in reality. Apple not on its own, but with almond butter. Almond butter is rich in magnesium, which is a powerful muscle relaxant. It also contains tryptophan, the amino acid credited with the production of sleep chemicals serotonin and melatonin. Apples are rich in vitamins, low in sugar, and fewer calories as well. This makes apple slices coated with almond butter to the ultimate night time snack.

You'd be delighted to know that your favourite childhood snack, PB&J is an ultimate late-night snack. Peanut butter is a rich source of tryptophan, while the carbohydrate in the bread makes it available for the brain. However, make it healthier to keep it within the 200 calorie mark. Start with swapping the white bread for whole-grain bread. And next comes the jelly. Almost all store-bought jellies are high in sugar, which invalidates the whole, healthy part. Swap the jelly for a sugar-free fruit spread. Now you have a healthy yet delicious late-night snack.

Who'd ever thought okra could be a late-night snack? From Snackible, the innovators of healthy snacks come the Pudina Okra Chips. Vacuum fried to crispy perfection, the okra chips are an all-natural alternative to the other fried options. The vacuum frying method preserves the nutrients without the use of much oil: hence fewer calories and lesser fat. Priced at Rs. 65 per 25 gm, it is also flavoured with natural pudina flavouring. Okra, with its vitamins and pudina with its sleep-inducing properties, makes the chips a perfect late-night snack. Order yours online from Snackible.

Trail mix, the favourite snack of all, can be your best bet as a low-calorie late-night snack in a pinch. A handful of trail mix contains everything from proteins, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and of course, a healthy dose of amino acids, i.e., tryptophan that not only fills you up but also puts you to a night of undisturbed sleep. The Healthy Trail Mix from nuts.com is a mixture of raisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, blanched peanuts, soybeans, almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and cashews. The all-natural, kosher, and gluten-free snack is priced at $6.99 or Rs. 535 per lb.

Another all-natural, low-calorie snack from Qtroveis the beetroot chips. Beetroot, rich in calcium and magnesium, relaxes the muscles in our body, paving the way for a relaxed and calm sleep. Perfect to satiate your craving for a crunchy late-night snack; the chips are made via a vacuum frying method that is healthy and uses 50% less oil than the traditional method. Priced at Rs. 200 for 70gm, the barbeque flavoured chips are available to buy from qtrove.com.

High in fibre, quinoa is referred to as a super grain because of the presence of magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and antioxidants. It is also one of the few protein-rich foods that have all the nine essential amino acids. The Quinoa Puffs from The Green Snack is a delicious snack enriched with the goodness of the six super grains, namely quinoa, ragi, soy, amaranth, rice, and maize. Devoid of any artificial flavouring and colours, the puffs are peppy cheese flavoured. Priced at Rs. 25 for 25 gm, it is available to buy from Activ8me.

Late-night snacking has been a controversial topic for a long time. Whether or not it is beneficial has been an object for discussion among experts. If you'd ask us, we'd say it depends on the food you eat. But it's for you to decide. Hence we bring you the pros and cons of late-night snacking.