Eat the right foods to keep you from gaining weight and help you sleep! 3 types of late night snacks that are low in calories and filling

By Eric

2021.10.19

Many people have the habit of eating late night eating, but eating late night eating is also one of the taboos of weight loss. In fact, choose the right snack food, not only is not easy to become obese, but also can help sleep.

Dr. Hsu Shuhua, director of the Smart Science Weight Management Centre and attending physician of the Department of Family Medicine at Fu Da Hospital in Taiwan, said that sometimes the night clinic will see 12 midnight, and after the clinic, she will eat dinner and a snack. She shared that she eats three types of snacks most often, including chicken breast, bananas and boiled eggs.

1. Chicken Breast
Chicken breast is a high-protein, low-fat white meat that is low in calories and has a satiating effect. It is recommended to boil or dry fry it. You can add cauliflower, corn shoots, fungus, guava, apples, cucumber, crispy bamboo shoots and other fruits and vegetables to make a savoury and sweet salty chicken for a more refreshing taste.

2. Bananas
Bananas are low in calories and rich in dietary fibre, pectin, tryptophan and the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium, which are good for sleep and antioxidants.

3. Boiled eggs
Eggs are rich in protein, not only are they low in calories and filling, but they also contain tryptophan, which can help you sleep, and the way they are cooked can reduce the intake of fats.

 

4 principles of healthy snacking

Hsu Shuhua suggests that the choice of snack can follow 4 major principles to avoid obesity and help you sleep.

1. Prototype foods
Prototype foods are foods that are less processed, have no additives and are close to their original appearance, such as chicken breast, bananas, boiled eggs and oats.

2. Fruit in moderation
Fruits are rich in dietary fibre and antioxidants. A banana or an apple is a good choice for a midnight snack.

3. Help you sleep
Bananas, milk and eggs are all rich in calcium and tryptophan, which help you sleep well.

4. Low GI starch
For those who like to eat starch, it is advisable to choose low GI starch foods that do not easily increase the burden on the stomach and intestines, such as non-refined starchy oats, which are not only highly nutritious but also rich in fibre, and you can make a glass of unsweetened oat milk for a midnight snack.