10 Nighttime Snacks That Are Harmless for Your Figure

It’s true that nighttime snacks, or things that you eat one or 2 hours before you sleep, are usually associated with weight gain and restless sleep. On the other hand, when you don’t eat dinner on time, you risk going to bed with a headache and a growling stomach and trying to sleep in this condition is not the best idea. You won’t get sound sleep and in the morning you’ll feel sick and hungry. Luckily, there’s a solution: there are some low-calorie snacks that cause drowsiness, calm your body down, and won’t make you feel sick in the morning.

Bright Side offers you a whole variety of nighttime snacks that are harmless for your figure and can even help you fight evening hunger.

Chocolate pudding

This may seem strange but creamy chocolate pudding will not only help you to get rid of hunger with pleasure, but it also won’t be harmful to your figure. The keyword here is “low-fat.” One serving (100 g) of this dessert contains around 90-100 calories: you can check it yourself. So, you won’t feel guilty anymore if you want to eat this and not veggies.

Chechil cheese

One portion of this snack contains enough protein to feel full, even though it doesn’t contain very many calories. Cheese also contains tryptophan which produces a sedative effect and causes drowsiness, helping you fall asleep faster. So, if you like salty snacks and you’re afraid of gaining weight, there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself with chechil — it’s better than some alternatives that have a lot of carbohydrates.

Avocado and cottage cheese

Cottage cheese contains very few calories and is rich in casein. It’s slowly absorbed by the body which means that it can keep you full for a long time. Meanwhile, studies showed that if you raise your protein intake, it may lead to successful weight loss. If you add some avocado to your snack, you’ll provide your body with high-quality fatty acids that can positively influence your cholesterol levels and vascular system.

Chocolate milk

It might seem crazy, but this is the most perfect drink for weight loss. Recent studies have shown that calcium helps get rid of belly fat and important nutrients are absorbed better with the help of the vitamin D that is contained in milk. But make sure that you get a chocolate milk that doesn’t contain a lot of sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and only the purest cocoa. Water is useless if we’re talking about curbing a strong feeling of hunger and only stimulates restless sleep because you will need to wake up to go to the toilet.

Dried figs

A great snack for those who have a sweet tooth are figs! Natural sweets will never disappoint you: they satisfy your sugar craving and don’t contribute to weight gain. The most important thing here is controlling your portions — we’re talking about a nighttime snack, not a whole dinner. Figs are low in fat and have a lot of dietary fiber — which makes it the perfect nighttime dessert.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate can also be harmless before you go to bed. It’s important to keep in mind that we’re not talking about milk chocolate with filling, but about pure dark chocolate with 72% natural cocoa. Thanks to this, we get a lot of antioxidants and enough fiber to feel full while avoiding a high dose of sugar. Try not to eat more than 50g of dark chocolate a day.

Tuna

This fish is easily digested and removes feelings of hunger because it contains a lot of protein. You can cook the tuna yourself (be careful not to use too much oil) or you can eat a few tablespoons of canned tuna without breaking your diet. Additionally, when it comes to dieting, you have to remember that vitamin B6 helps you to digest proteins and fats, prevents nervous system disorders, and positively influences your whole body.

Cornflakes

If you were thinking that you wanted some chocolate or honey-coated cornflakes, forget about this. They contain so much sugar that this type of snack cannot be considered healthy. We’re talking about flakes that contain a lot of dietary fiber and low sugar. If you eat them with low-fat milk, you’ll also get your necessary dose of tryptophan, feed your craving, and let your body know that it’s high time to go to bed.

Almonds

Another good variant for those who love salty snacks is to have a handful of almonds. Magnesium helps you to relax and restore muscle, niacin helps to get rid of stress, and dietary fiber makes you feel full for a long time. Almonds also help burn fat: it was proven that people who were on a low-calorie diet that had 1/4 cup of almonds a day, lost weight 62% faster than another group who were keeping to a low-calorie diet with a lot of carbohydrates. This is why almonds are considered to be an optimal snack at any time.

Ham and whole grain bread

If you don’t like sweet desserts or salty snacks and prefer good old sandwiches, there’s some good news for you. A piece of whole grain toast with 2 slices of ham won’t be harmful to your toned body. We have to remember that the most important thing is to know your limit. This snack doesn’t contain a lot of calories (around 150), whole grain bread is a source of complex carbohydrates that will help you to relax and sleep better and ham is a source of protein that helps you feel satiated. Eating this will be better than eating nothing, getting poor sleep, and overeating the next day.

What is your perfect nighttime snack? Share your recipes with us in the comments.