It’s night time and you’re feeling hungry: what can you snack on before bed that will keep your stomach full and your blood sugar stable until breakfast?
Here are some ideas…
In general, you’ll want to stop eating at 8PM in order to give your body time to start digesting before your head hits the pillow. But sometimes you just need a little late night snack to hold you over until morning; in this case, you’ll want to reach for a snack that is heavy in protein and fat (not carbs).
Researchers have found that when people eat between 7 am and 4 pm they have a lower glucose and insulin response. This mechanism is thought to be related to the body’s circadian rhythm—our body’s internal “clock.”
This clock controls many hormones in the body so it makes sense that meal timing could influence hormones such as insulin and therefore, how blood glucose is metabolised.
A high protein, low carb meal at dinner is best for optimising blood glucose response, as these macronutrients take the longest to break down into glucose and become absorbed into the bloodstream. A high carb meal, on the other hand, breaks down into glucose quicker, causing your blood sugar levels to elevate.
Going to bed hungry can interrupt your sleep, so don’t force yourself to go without if you’re actually hungry. If you are going to eat a snack before bed, focus on something hearty, with substance, and not something ‘munchie’ and high in carbs.
Examples of bad nighttime snacks include: bread, crackers, chips/crisps, popcorn, breakfast cereal, cookies, candy, chocolate, or other sweets and starches.
Protein & Fat-Rich Bedtime Snacks
Here are a few low-carb, high protein snack ideas to try the next time you’re wandering around the kitchen before bed in need of a a bite to eat:
- Slices of cheese
- Ham and cheese
- Olives and cheese
- Nut butter spread on celery sticks
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, etc.)
- Rolled deli turkey with guacamole or slices of avocado
- Hard boiled eggs
- Cucumber crackers topped with cheese, nuts, tomato
- Chicken pieces dipped in mayo or aioli
- A cheesy pumpkin muffin (or 2)
- Canned tuna or tuna salad
- Unsweetened Greek yoghurt with nuts and a few berries on top
- Guacamole with veggie sticks
- Cottage cheese with berries
- Peanut butter protein balls
Snacks like these will satisfy your hunger while still keeping your blood sugar in check – that’s a good combination for a great night’s sleep as well as better overall health!
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