5 Tips to Curb Your Late Night Snacking (2024)

FAQs

5 Tips to Curb Your Late Night Snacking? ›

Snack on a handful of nuts, top some whole-grain toast with creamy homemade almond butter, or whip up a sweet and simple trail mix by combining 2 cups of mixed nuts, ½ cup of pumpkin seeds, ½ cup of sunflower seeds, and 1 cup of unsweetened dried fruit to keep on hand for late-night noshes.

Snack on a handful of nuts, top some whole-grain toast with creamy homemade almond butter, or whip up a sweet and simple trail mix by combining 2 cups of mixed nuts, ½ cup of pumpkin seeds, ½ cup of sunflower seeds, and 1 cup of unsweetened dried fruit to keep on hand for late-night noshes.

Offer snacks that are naturally sweet (low-fat yogurt, fruit, frozen bananas or grapes, apple slices with peanut butter). Don't keep many sweets in the house. If they're not around, they won't be tempted by them (and neither will you). Don't use sweets as a bribe or reward.

Doctors think it might be related to issues with the sleep-wake cycle and some hormones. Changes in your sleep schedule and routines aren't responsible. You're more likely to have night eating syndrome if you're obese or have another eating disorder.

A study published in the most recent version of the journal Obesity found that the body's internal clock, the circadian system, increases hunger and cravings for sweet, starchy and salty foods in the evenings.

Is peanut butter a good late night snack? ›

Summary. As part of a balanced diet, a small serving of peanut butter can be a nutritious choice for a nighttime snack. Combining this with a piece of fruit, such as an apple or banana, or vegetables, such as celery, increases the fiber content and nutritional value of the snack.

Experts say that having a late-night meal keeps the body on 'high alert' at a time where it should be winding down, which can have dangerous implications for our health. Researchers have now said that we should never eat within two hours of our bedtime, and ideally, nothing after 7pm.

A person can suppress their appetite by including more protein, fat, and fiber in their meals. Stocking up on vegetables and pulses can make a person feel fuller for longer. It might also help to try different spices, such as ginger and cayenne pepper, and drink tea to beat unwanted food cravings.

How do you trigger yourself to not eat? ›

As a guide, stop eating two to three hours before bed to avoid weight gain. Finishing meals earlier than this may help boost weight loss.

New study provides experimental evidence that late eating may increase hunger, obesity risk. Obesity afflicts approximately 42 percent of the U.S. adult population and contributes to the onset of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and other conditions.

1. Cherries. Cherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin. Studies have shown a boost in circulating melatonin after consumption of cherries, though sweet cherries have half the melatonin content as sour cherries.

Galloway recommended pairing a banana with peanut butter before bed, as bananas also contain magnesium which can support good sleep.

These snacks are high in fat and calories because they contain high-calorie processed ingredients such as canola oil, palm oil, and refined sugar. Eating Ritz on a regular basis can help you lose weight, but it can also mean you're eating way too much.

Oatmeal. Hot or cold oatmeal might help prepare your body for sleep and keep you full throughout the night. Oats contain magnesium as well as melatonin, the sleep hormone. Consider making a batch of overnight oats with dried fruits and seeds for a simple nighttime snack option.

What cereal is good for night? ›

A bowl of unsweetened cereal (e.g. rice puffs, bran flakes) or muesli high in complex carbs, coupled with milk makes for a yummy bedtime snack. As a bonus, the duo in this combo help your body produce melatonin to lead you into a more restful night.

A small snack before bedtime can help ensure you're not hungry when trying to sleep, however. Dr. Singh says a small snack 30 to 40 minutes before bed is fine if you feel a little hungry.

Most people are brought up thinking that dinner should be the biggest meal of the day, meaning they opt for a light breakfast and lunch. However, research has found that a smaller dinner and larger lunch could be the key to helping you shift those weight.

Aside from causing belly fat, eating late and reclining on a full stomach increases your risk of developing acid reflux and indigestion, since gravity is no longer able to pull everything in your tummy straight down.

“Previous research by us and others had shown that late eating is associated with increased obesity risk, increased body fat, and impaired weight loss success.

If you are a heavy nighttime eater, you will almost certainly lose weight if you can cut out the nighttime snacks. Some people consume as much as 25% of their calories in the evening hours, so curbing this habit can make a huge difference in the amount of food you take in during a given day.

Studies suggest that late-night snacking could raise blood sugar levels, and certain foods may negatively affect sleep quality. Choosing snacks that contain plenty of vitamins and minerals but aren't high in sugar or spice may actually improve your sleep.

If you want to maintain or lose weight, then you shouldn't eat after 7 p.m. There are myriad reasons why people might not want to eat after a certain time in the evening, especially if it's close to when they go to sleep, says Cara Harbstreet, M.S., R.D., L.D., owner of Street Smart Nutrition..

The Bottom Line

Physiologically, calories don't count for more at night. You won't gain weight by merely eating later if you eat within your daily calorie needs. Still, studies show that nighttime eaters typically make poorer food choices and eat more calories, which can lead to weight gain.

Eating late at night may lead to acid reflux and negatively affect blood sugar management, blood pressure, and weight. This may be due to many factors like poor food choices.

Why can't i stop snacking late at night? ›

Endless snacking at night can result from a number of factors, including not eating enough during the day or eating due to boredom, stress, anger or sadness. For some, there may also be a hormonal imbalance that causes severe increases in appetite.

Going to bed hungry can be safe as long as you're eating a well-balanced diet throughout the day. Avoiding late-night snacks or meals can actually help avoid weight gain and an increased BMI. If you're so hungry that you can't go to bed, you can eat foods that are easy to digest and promote sleep.

Therefore, eating peanut butter or other foods with tryptophan before bed may alleviate sleep issues. Peanut butter is highly nutritious and rich in protein, which reduces food cravings and promotes muscle growth. It also contains tryptophan, which may enhance sleep quality.

Deficiencies in certain minerals such as zinc, chromium, iron, calcium, and magnesium may lead to sugar cravings as well, Elia says. Magnesium deficiency is specifically worth paying attention to.

Experts recommend waiting at least three hours after you've eaten to go to bed. This allows your body time to digest your food so you're not up at night with an upset stomach, indigestion, or acid reflux.

Overeating before the bedtime increases the risk of indigestion and heartburn, resulting in restlessness and sleeplessness. Eating late also sends a message to the brain to keep active that further prevents the body from powering down.