BEFORE SLEEP SNACKING
Snacking
before bedtime is putting late sleepers at risk of extra weight gain. There are
ways to minimise the damage
IF
your nocturnal routine includes midnight snacking, you are in for unwanted
weight gain. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that
people who sleep late tend to consume more calories, and hence pile on the kilos
faster.
Another controlled sleep study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver’s Anschutz Medical Campus showed that people tend to eat more fatty after-dinner snacks if they were sleepdeprived for a week. The first impulse, when hunger strikes at night, is to grab something from the fridge to kill the pangs. “Whether you are watching television, reading a book or doing chores at night, your mind is in ‘active’ mode and needs fuel to function, hence hunger sets in. Even if people aren’t really hungry, they are drawn towards food before retiring to bed because it’s a great comforter and a stress buster,” says Namita Jain, dietician and clinical wellness specialist, Bombay Hospital.
However, fatty comfort foods hinder your ability to get a good night’s rest since they are harder to digest. “Avoid heavy snacks like nachos and pizza slices that take a lot of energy to digest. Opt for small snack portions of easily digestible foods instead,” says holistic health expert Mickey Mehta.
Weight matters
If you’ve eaten all your meals during the day, your body doesn’t need the extra calories that come from bingeing at night. This means, midnight snacking goes beyond your daily caloric needs. This excess leads to weight gain if you’re in the habit of scarfing down a tub of ice cream or instant noodles every other night. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t give up the habit. Substitute fatty munchies with healthy alternatives that are quick to put together.
Change the content
If hunger strikes before bedtime, grab a wholesome item that won’t impair your quality of sleep. Avoid spicy, fried and creamy snacks, dishes that could give you heartburn and those that are difficult to digest. The best options are low-calorie foods that have tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body create niacin and serotonin, both calming feel-good hormones. Popular serotonin inducers are bananas, chicken, oats and honey. “Stock up on nutty granola bars and roasted (not fried) corn chewda that are easily available in the market,” says health expert Sanjeev Chadha. Find snacks under 200 calories.
Superb substitutes
Instead of eating ice cream, make yourself a fruit salad with loads of chilled yogurt sweetened with honey. “Substitute a white bread sandwich with a multi-grain panini, loaded with lettuce, cabbage, veggies and a slice of low fat cheese for good measure,” says Chadha. If you’re craving something salty and spicy, don’t give in to chips. Microwave a batch of plain popcorn and sprinkle it with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
FRUIT SMOOTHIES AND MILKSHAKES
Fruity and refreshing, smoothies and milkshakes are quick to make and provide a vital dose of vitamins and minerals. In a regular grinder, blend low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit (kiwi, mango, strawberry, pineapple-orange) and ice to make a smoothie. For a fresh milkshake, substitute the yogurt with skimmed milk. Use soy milk if you are lactose intolerant or can’t digest milk at night. It is best to make these wholesome drinks yourself, instead of relying on store-bought shakes and smoothies that could contain hidden fatty ingredients or synthetic syrups. , says Kasmin Fernandes TL130728
Another controlled sleep study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver’s Anschutz Medical Campus showed that people tend to eat more fatty after-dinner snacks if they were sleepdeprived for a week. The first impulse, when hunger strikes at night, is to grab something from the fridge to kill the pangs. “Whether you are watching television, reading a book or doing chores at night, your mind is in ‘active’ mode and needs fuel to function, hence hunger sets in. Even if people aren’t really hungry, they are drawn towards food before retiring to bed because it’s a great comforter and a stress buster,” says Namita Jain, dietician and clinical wellness specialist, Bombay Hospital.
However, fatty comfort foods hinder your ability to get a good night’s rest since they are harder to digest. “Avoid heavy snacks like nachos and pizza slices that take a lot of energy to digest. Opt for small snack portions of easily digestible foods instead,” says holistic health expert Mickey Mehta.
Weight matters
If you’ve eaten all your meals during the day, your body doesn’t need the extra calories that come from bingeing at night. This means, midnight snacking goes beyond your daily caloric needs. This excess leads to weight gain if you’re in the habit of scarfing down a tub of ice cream or instant noodles every other night. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t give up the habit. Substitute fatty munchies with healthy alternatives that are quick to put together.
Change the content
If hunger strikes before bedtime, grab a wholesome item that won’t impair your quality of sleep. Avoid spicy, fried and creamy snacks, dishes that could give you heartburn and those that are difficult to digest. The best options are low-calorie foods that have tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body create niacin and serotonin, both calming feel-good hormones. Popular serotonin inducers are bananas, chicken, oats and honey. “Stock up on nutty granola bars and roasted (not fried) corn chewda that are easily available in the market,” says health expert Sanjeev Chadha. Find snacks under 200 calories.
Superb substitutes
Instead of eating ice cream, make yourself a fruit salad with loads of chilled yogurt sweetened with honey. “Substitute a white bread sandwich with a multi-grain panini, loaded with lettuce, cabbage, veggies and a slice of low fat cheese for good measure,” says Chadha. If you’re craving something salty and spicy, don’t give in to chips. Microwave a batch of plain popcorn and sprinkle it with salt, pepper and chilli flakes.
FRUIT SMOOTHIES AND MILKSHAKES
Fruity and refreshing, smoothies and milkshakes are quick to make and provide a vital dose of vitamins and minerals. In a regular grinder, blend low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit (kiwi, mango, strawberry, pineapple-orange) and ice to make a smoothie. For a fresh milkshake, substitute the yogurt with skimmed milk. Use soy milk if you are lactose intolerant or can’t digest milk at night. It is best to make these wholesome drinks yourself, instead of relying on store-bought shakes and smoothies that could contain hidden fatty ingredients or synthetic syrups. , says Kasmin Fernandes TL130728
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