In reality, the reason you may have gained weight probably has more to do with what you are eating and how much you are eating rather than the time of day you are eating. Eating the right protein at night can help you build muscle while you sleep. Eating low-glycemic carbs at night can help control your blood sugar the next day and even help you regulate your appetite.
Some are not-so-guilty pleasures, some are great snacks to have after a light dinner and others make fantastic post-workout snacks.
1. Coconut-Mango Cream
Here is a simple dessert that uses frozen mango and coconut milk to make a dish your friends will rave about. To make it vegan, opt for a vegan protein powder like hemp, brown rice or pea.
- CALORIES: 171
2. No-Bake Honey Peanut Butter Cookies
These simple-to-make no-bake cookies contain the great flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate, along with a little hint of sweetness from honey. The addition of oats adds a punch of fiber and plant protein that makes them very satisfying.
Tip: To cut down on calories, you can make 16 half-size cookies instead.
- CALORIES: 238
3. Dark Chocolate
There is a big nutritional difference between your average convenience-store chocolate candy and cacao-rich dark chocolate. The dark chocolate lacks the high added sugar content of traditional chocolate and instead provides you an antioxidant punch that has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, fight inflammation and improve your mood.
4. Slushy
Here’s a better, no-added-sugar version that contains branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which can help decrease muscle soreness and stimulate muscle growth. Watch out for brain freeze!
- CALORIES: 36
5. Pistachios
Pistachios in the shell are an excellent nighttime snack because the shelling process requires some work, consequently slowing down how fast you can eat them. The slower you eat, the less you will consume. The combination of getting to eat more and having to eat them slower makes pistachios one of the best options. In addition, nuts come with a unique nutritional package because they contain fiber, biotin, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, unsaturated fats and plant sterols, all of which makes them highly nutritious as well as satisfying.
6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese
The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is arguably one of the best flavors in existence. This simple snack combines those two great flavors along with a creamy texture from cottage cheese. In addition, it provides a high dose of casein protein. Casein is the slower-digesting milk protein and has been shown to boost recovery while you sleep when taken later at night.
- CALORIES: 313
7. Raspberry Greek Yogurt
With this simple recipe for frozen Greek yogurt pops, you can do much better; it’s a nutritional treat with minimal prep. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt’s nutritionally superior sibling, with typically double the protein and half the carbs per serving. To make frozen Greek yogurt pops, mash three-quarters of a cup of raspberries in two cups of 2% plain Greek yogurt. Portion this mixture into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for several hours until completely frozen.
8. Pumpkin Seeds
One serving of pumpkin seeds contains almost 50 percent of your recommended intake of magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral that is used in more than 300 reactions in your body. One key area that magnesium addresses is relaxation. Magnesium is a relaxant, and high-magnesium snacks are ideal for helping you unwind at night. And the slight saltiness of roasted pumpkin seeds curbs your salty-snack craving that is usually quelled with potato chips.
9. Warm Milk and Honey
Warm milk has long been used as a sleep aid, making it a good late-night snack choice if you have trouble dozing off at night. Adding honey to your warm milk will slightly boost the sugar content of your snack. This extra sugar is easily digested and can stimulate hormones that drive the formation of serotonin, making your warm milk assist in your sleep efforts from a psychological and physiological perspective.
10. Frozen Blueberries
The cold sweetness of frozen blueberries is very refreshing at the end of the day. Frozen blueberries are packed with just as many high-powered antioxidants as their fresh counterparts because they are flash frozen at peak ripeness. Blueberries are one of the best foods that you can eat for your health. If your diet can afford the extra calories, adding two tablespoons of cream ups the richness and sweetness of the treat.
11. Almonds
In addition, people who ate almonds experienced greater improvements in their total cholesterol and triglycerides, two key cardiovascular disease risk factors. Almonds are also another food that is high in magnesium. One ounce of almonds can be snacked on raw, roasted or seasoned with your favorite spice like curry or chili powder.
12. Kale Chips
Kale chips give you that great salty crunch without the extra fat and calories you’d get with regular potato chips. Kale chips also provide vitamins K, A and C and the cancer-fighting phytochemicals called carotenoids. Kale chips taste best when they are freshly baked.
The prep time is so minimal that you can easily whip up a batch while you are making dinner to enjoy them later in the evening.
- CALORIES: 63