Late Night Snack Attack? These 10 Foods Won’t Ruin Your Diet

Late-night snacking while binge-watching popular TV shows and movies on platforms like Netflix has become a common way to relax after a stressful and exhausting day. However, late-night snacking, particularly on sugary delights or high-fat, calorie-dense treats can have a negative impact on weight loss goals and overall health as well. Late-night snacking on the wrong type of food can disrupt sleep, interfere with digestion, and contribute to weight gain. That’s why it’s important to be mindful of what we eat and when we eat, especially before bedtime. Experts recommend to avoid eating late into the night, too heavy, and not to compromise sleep because late-night snacking can interfere with weight loss goals and may not be the healthiest habit. Studies show that it takes around 3 hours for an average person to digest food, so if in a snacking mood, keep it light so as to have a restful sleep. It’s also recommended to have a balanced and satisfying dinner to prevent hunger and cravings later at night, and for that, you can check the weight loss diet plans on the Rati Beauty app. Late-night snacking is okay occasionally, but you are making it into a daily habit that’s hard to break, then it would be prudent to find other ways to cope with stress or boredom, and create a relaxing bedtime routine. However, as occasional treats, in this article, we are listing out 10 foods that wouldn’t ruin your diet.

1. Whole Wheat Crackers with Almond Butter and Banana Slices: Spread a bit of almond butter (rich in healthy fats) on 100% whole wheat crackers and top it off with some banana slices. Nothing in this snack is unhealthy – you get the protein and healthy fats from almond butter, sliced banana adds sweetness and fiber, and wheat crackers are good carbs. Bananas are also a good source of magnesium, which helps calm stress hormones, and you can get restful sleep when you hit the bed.

2. Toast with Scrambled Eggs and Avocado: If you do want to indulge in a bit of a heavy snack, make yourself scrambled eggs and scoop out a medium-sized avocado, and a whole wheat toast. Scrambled eggs give you protein and healthy fats, and add sliced avocado adds creaminess and fiber. Peanut butter on the toast with banana slices is another good option. Did you know peanut butter contains an amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make serotonin and melatonin, and these hormones help you get good quality sleep .

3. Fruits like Cherries and Kiwis: Post-dinner desserts can be made healthier by opting for fresh cherries. These fruits are a natural source of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. Consuming whole cherries would not only improve sleep quality and reduce stress, but also boost metabolism due to their high antioxidant content. Additionally, the antioxidants found in cherries can help combat inflammation and aid in weight loss efforts. Kiwis are another fruit with sleep-promoting benefits, containing serotonin and other antioxidant compounds that can lead to faster sleep onset and improved sleep quality. You can add these fruits to greek yogurt instead of reaching for an ice cream.

4. Sweet Potato Chips: Sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients, especially B vitamins and also magnesium which is good for metabolism. Dump packaged potato chips and bake your own chips by slicing sweet potatoes into thin rounds and adding a bit of olive oil and salt. Bake these slices in an oven that has been preheated to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are brown and crispy. That’s it, delicious chips made with minimum amount of ingredients is ready!

5. Cha Churumuri or Puffed Rice Snack: It just takes 5 minutes to make with easily available ingredients and is a no-cook option as well. Mix together finely sliced onion, tomato, grated carrot, green chillies, puffed rice, add some cilantro and salt. Mix in puffed rice, a bit of chat masala, along with a sprinkle of sev, and a squeeze of lemon! That’s it! You can have this snack guilt free.

6. Nuts Ladoo: Make yourself protein-rich ladoos by blending walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, a few dates together, and add grated coconut. Walnuts, almonds are good sources of protein and healthy fats, pumpkin seeds are rich in essential nutrients, and grated coconut is also good source of healthy fat. But do remember to stop at just 1 or 2 ladoos to stay within calorie deficit.

7. Banana Bread: Make your own banana bread by mixing 3 ripe bananas, 2 cups oat flour, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp baking soda, and 1 tbsp peanut butter. Bake at usual setting, and there you have a cake that you can eat too instead of raiding the refrigerator for ice cream.

8. No-Bake Rice Cake Chocolate Bark: Another yummy treat for your tastebuds – melt dark chocolate, take 2 tbsp coconut oil, break the rice cakes into smaller pieces, add 1 tbsp of peanut butter, some almond flour, and a few strawberries (optional) together. Spread the mixture on a parchment paper and freeze for one hour, that’s it! Your healthy snack is ready.

9. Chia Seed Pudding with Fruits: Chia seeds are a superfood that experts unanimously agree is a weight loss friendly food. To make this healthy pudding, take 30 gm chia seeds, add 6 tbsp hot water, mix in 100 gm Greek yogurt. Now, top it with fresh fruits like banana, kiwi, berries, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and top it off 1 or 2 tbsp peanut butter. This is a healthy sweet treat that can replace sugary desserts in your refrigerator.

10. Whole Wheat Vegetable and Paneer Sandwich: Create a satisfying sandwich by using whole wheat bread as a base and filling it with onions, sweet corn, carrots, and crumbled paneer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. For the dressing, combine 2 tablespoons of unflavored Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of mint chutney.

Popcorn, makhana, jowar puffs are a few other options that you can try which are all light on the tummy as well. By making conscious choices and being aware of our eating habits, we can prevent late-night snacking from derailing our weight loss and health goals. By providing satiating meals throughout the day, Rati Beauty Diet helps avoid hunger and cravings at night. The healthy and delicious recipes offered by Rati Beauty Diet provide a tasty and guilt-free way to satisfy hunger, without derailing your weight loss goals.