We all know the story; you have seen something in the food commercial or had your dinner early, and now it is late at night, and you are craving or hungry for something to snack on. Late snacking comes in unpredictably, and it often comes during late nights when you are sluggish to make yourself a healthy snack.
Most of the time, people reach for whatever is in their fridge which often consists of high-calorie and sugar-laden foods such as of soft drinks, ice creams, cakes, and pastries. However, late night snacking is the most crucial time to snack, especially for weight watchers. Remember that it is late at night that people are less active and metabolic rate slows down, thus whatever they eat sits in their stomach are stored as fat. Moreover, the wrong choice of foods, especially those which are high glycemic will affect the quality of your sleep and further sets you to fatigue the next moment you wake up.
Snacking late at night is not that bad if you know how to make smart food choices. Instead of reaching out for that whole bag of chips or calling late at night for a pizza delivery, stack your pantry with best late night snacks instead. As compared to unhealthy junk foods that do nothing but lead you to weight gain, best late night snacks come in low calories, easy to digest and will not make you feel weighed down the next morning. Moreover, the best late night snacks come in pre-packaged and ready-to-eat for your convenience.
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Who Needs Low Calorie Late Night Snacks?
Best late night snacks are intended for everyone who wants something healthy to snack on late at night. Best late night snacks come in low calories which also are meant take edge off pre-meal time hunger, so you will eat moderate to lesser calories when your actual meal time comes. This is of course very helpful for those who are on a weight loss plan or just trying to maintain their weight.
People who have a sweet tooth may find themselves craving for something sweet after a meal. In this case, best late night snacks are a better option than sugary desserts. Best late night snacks are often naturally sweetened and will not mess with your blood sugar bank. If you have diabetes or just want to keep your blood sugar levels even, you will also find these best late night snacks particularly helpful in satisfying your sweet tooth but without spiking and dipping in blood sugar level thus warding off insulin resistance.
Best late night snacks are also designed to address nutrient deficiencies. They are packed with vitamins and minerals to fill in the gap and may be included in addition to a well-established meal plan.
Best late night snacks also come in handy for all those who have hectic schedules and often sacrifice quality snack time on the altar of productivity. Some best late night snacks just need little preparation like microwaving while some are pre-packaged pick-me-up snack ready to be consumed.
What is a Low Calorie Late Night Snack?
To keep you on your fitness goal, experts recommend limiting carbs and food intake at night because of the assertion that whatever you eat hours before your bedtime has an enormous impact on your physique. This is because you are less active at night, which means anything consumed will have a greater chance of being stored as fat. Also, your insulin sensitivity is induced at night gearing the carb-storing functions of the body towards fat.
Building on this idea, best late night snacks are designed to be low in calorie, so you can still satisfy your food cravings at night but without derailing you from your healthy eating efforts. Best late night snacks still contain the significant amount of carbs.However, you can quickly digest these especially if they derived from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Manufacturers may also include dietary protein and healthy fats which also promote a feeling of fullness along with elevated vitamins and minerals to aid in your nutrients needs. Best late night snacks include whole food bars, munchies like trail-mix or dried fruits, frozen sticks, protein-packed chips and jerkies, and other gourmet-microwavable goodies which all make snacking late at night more convenient. For more weight watcher yogurts info, check our article here.
What Are The Components of a Low Calorie Late Night Snack
Best late night snacks come in varieties that make it very hard to make a pick. The trick is to know what to look for. Here are the components that make the best late night snacks.
Simple Carbohydrates: Carbs are a vital component of best late night snacks to calm down hunger. However, not all carbohydrates have the same composition. You should stay away from fiber and refined carbs like white bread, white rice, pasta, noodle, sugary cereals, and other snacks made from white flour as are these are slow-digesting foods that can cause stomach bloating. On the other hand, best late night snacks derived from fruits have a simple molecular structure that is easier to digest and aids in digestion.
Protein: Best late night snacks may source milk-based slow releasing protein like casein. This component of the best late night snacks promotes muscle growth and recovery overnight, which is ideal if you are into fitness exercises. Slow-releasing protein also makes you feel fuller and satiated.
Healthy Fatty Acids: It may sound counterintuitive, but fats are an essential component of weight loss. Consuming fat gives a long-lasting satiating effect, which prevents overeating. The key is to look for good fats in the form of mono- and polyunsaturated fats as well as Omega 3 in the ingredient list of best late night snacks. However, it still necessary to take note that it takes about 2 to 4 hours for fat to fully digest in our body and that only 20 percent of your recommended daily intake of fat should be allocated at night, so your body has much time to utilize it before storing it as excess fat.
Fruit and Vegetable-Based: In addition to fruits being a healthy choice of carbs, fruits are also used for best late night snacks as a natural sweetener that offers a healthy option to curb the sweet tooth. Together with veggie-based snacks, they are low in calorie, low in fat and naturally fulfilling best late night snacks.
Vitamins and Minerals: Best late night snacks may employ wholesome foods that deliver loads of vitamins and minerals. Some manufacturers push through patented nutrient formulations to not only give body healthy dose of antioxidants but also to stimulate the sleep-inducing melatonin which your body needs to sleep better.
What Are The Precautions of Low Calorie Late Night Snacks?
According to nutrition experts, calories are calories regardless of whatever kind of food you are consuming, and excess consumption will, of course, lead you to gain weight. This means being mindful of snacking especially if you already reached your caloric goal from your meals. If you are weight watcher, it is important to base your consumption of snacks on your calorie needs and adjust if necessary to avoid excess calorie consumption.
It is also important to identify the cause of your urge to snack in late at night. If snacking is done out boredom or stress rather than hunger, you are likely to overeat and gain weight.
Also, always read nutrition facts as not all best late night snacks are created equal. Commercial night snacks in the form of food bars may be as sugary as candy bars. Refrain from snacks that have sugar additives and sugar alcohols as they can spike blood insulin levels that can impose risks on your health. Other snacks also are high in fats or may include unhealthy trans fats. These are linked to cardiovascular and heart attacks, which another one thing to watch out for.
There is a reason best late night snacks are considered as a dietary supplement. Even though they add nutritional value in a diet, they do not contain some nutrients found in actual foods. Constantly relying on best late night snacks as a meal replacement can lead to malnutrition and other health deficiency.
Other concerns about eating close to bedtime include stomach bloating, indigestion and sleeping problems. It is always important to consider consuming best late night snacks at least one to two hours before sleeping to give time to for the food to be fully digested.
What Are The Best Low Calorie Late Night Snacks?
Of all the time to be cautious at snacking, it should be at night. Keep in mind that whatever you eat before bedtime has an enormous impact on your weight because of your metabolism functioning at a slower rate. If a low-calorie nutritious snack is what you are after, rely on these best late night snacks. Each of these featured best late night snacks is lower than 150 calories and are best for weight watchers who are conscious about their calorie intake.
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TROPEE Gluten-Free Food Dried Fruit Bars Mango
Overview:
Many food bars that claim to be “fruit bars” actually have nothing to do with actual fruits. Instead, they use artificial flavoring which amounts to a high sugar content but little nutrients. A real fruit bar is not highly processed and does not use anything artificial, so it stays in its purest form, like that of TROPEE Gluten-Free Food Fruit Bars Mango.
TROPEE is a manufacturer that uses dried fruits as the only ingredients. The process only includes grinding, cooling, and extrusion, making vitamins and minerals associated with the fruits almost untouched. TROPEE’s mango flavored fruit bar goes through the same process that listed Dehydrated Mango as the only ingredient, nothing more and nothing less.
Although these best late night snacks only use one ingredient, a little goes a long way. Each bar is jam-packed with vitamins (A, B, C, E, K) and minerals (magnesium, iron, potassium zinc) in a surprisingly just 50 calories per serving. Not only do these best late night snacks provide a high nutritional value, but the magnesium and B vitamin derivatives found on these best late night snacks are also particularly helpful in lulling you to sleep.
These best late night snacks also contain the ideal amount of carbs to increase fullness. Moreover, with the low-calorie content, each bar make for not only the perfect low calorie best late night snacks but also a good appetite suppressant to be taken in between meals.
Pros
- Lightly processed
- Packed with vitamins and minerals
- 100 percent natural, gluten, vegan, and kosher
- Free from preservatives, artificial flavorings, and colorants
Cons
- Gets easily stale
Nothing But The Fruit Mixed Berry Real Fruit Bites
Overview:
Nothing But the Fruit Company is a manufacturer that sourced out their fruit-based best late night snacks from organically grown fruits. The fruits are pureed and pressed to form bite-sized pieces. No fillers, artificial sweeteners, preservatives are included in the process thus it is like having a real fruit packaged snack.
The selection includes Concord Grapes and Strawberries, both of which contained their Mixed Berry version in addition to blueberries and blackcurrants. According to studies, berries and other Vitamin C rich fruits are natural fat burners that target visceral fat. Additionally, they also contain polyphenol — a natural substance that increases metabolic rate and that also hinder fat from forming, making berries one of the best late night snacks you can munch on before bed. You can harbor these benefits of real berries in Nothing, But The Fruit Mixed Berry Real Fruit Bites since it is 100 percent made of real fruit.
Each serving is conveniently portioned in a pouch containing 40 counts, which equals to only 90 calories, making it one of the best late night snacks for everyone who are calorie-conscious. The product is also a good source of nearly half your recommended daily allowance for vitamin C with a moderate amount of carbs and a smidge of protein to increase the feeling of fullness. These fruit bites taste like real fruits which don’t only make healthy best late night snacks but can also serve as nutritious toppings to your yogurt and other nutritious snacks.
Pros
- 100 percent real fruit
- Natural fat-burner
- Low calorie
- Free from gluten, sugar additives, artificial flavors, and preservatives
- Non-GMO and vegan
Cons
- High sugar content
- A bit expensive
Mini Babybel Light Cheese
Overview:
If a low-carb, high protein best late night snacks are what you are after, a wide range of Mini Babybel cheese snacks got you covered. However, if you want the lowest amount of fat you can get from cheese, the Light Cheese snack is your best option. Mini Babybel Light Cheese is 50 percent less fat than the Original version, making it one of the best late night snacks.
Cheese, in general, contains 80 percent casein protein — your best choice of potent protein supplement for muscle building when taken before bed. Each portion of Mini Babybel Light Cheese is encased in circular red wax, delivering 12 percent of your daily protein intake in less than 50 calories.
You will also be glad to know that consuming cheese as best late night snacks help you achieve a good night sleep. This is because of the abundance of tryptophans found in cheese that stimulate the production of serotonin, which your body uses to promote sleep.
Because Light Cheese is low in caloric value, this one is one of the best late night snacks that give you more freedom with your food choices. The cheese snacks are great alone as best late night snacks but can also be complemented with your other favorite best late night snacks like fruits, veggies, or crackers.
Pros
- 100 percent natural cheese
- An excellent source of protein and calcium
- Aids in muscle synthesis
- Promotes good sleep
- Contains low calories and low fat
Cons
- Contains small amount of cholesterol fat
- Perishable and needs refrigeration
- Does not contain significant amount of carbs to curb hunger truly
Mary’s Gone Crackers Organic Seed Crackers Original
Overview:
Mary’s Gone Crackers Organic Seed Crackers Original is the best late night snacks because they use organic ingredients that are easy to digest. Listed as the top ingredients are the organic whole grains in the form of brown rice and quinoa, both of which are easy to digest starch and contains several nutrients that support digestive tract.
If you are having a difficulty of getting the omega-3 fatty acid from your food alone, these seed crackers have the right ingredients like organic brown flax seeds and organic brown sesame seeds to supplement 450 mg of healthy omega fats that are good for your overall health.
These best late night snacks from Mary’s Gone only contains 140 calories in 13 crackers (30 grams) serving size, of which are 21 grams of easy-to-digest carbs and 3 grams of protein that will surely make you feel full but will not weigh down on your stomach. Mary’s Gone also has the cleanest ingredient profile you could ask for in the best late night snacks. The only potential allergen found in this product is soy, but if you are not allergic to this ingredient, then these seed crackers are the best late night snacks for you.
Pros
- An excellent source of omega fats
- Free from unhealthy fats, dairy, and sugar
- Fast digesting carbs
- Vegan and gluten-free
- Made from nut free facility
Cons
- Contains soy allergens
- Tends to be pricey snack for some
Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps Deli Style Buffalo Wing
Overview:
Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps Deli Style Buffalo Wing makes perfect best late night snacks for when you are staying up late for a movie marathon and craves for something savory to snack on. Alternatively, it also makes a good snack for when you are halfway your heavy exercise, and you sweat out too much sodium which makes craving for salt more immense. Each serving only counts to 110 calories, which won’t mess with your calorie bank and make your efforts of calorie deficit still worthwhile considering that it also contains the ideal ratio of macronutrients your body needs to recover after a hard ride.
These best late night snacks take in the form baked pretzel crackers sprinkled with buffalo flavored powder, a sure way to satisfy your savory cravings. It also comes clean in its profile ingredient and surprisingly does not contain any trans fats and hydrogenated oils that are prominent ingredients in other commercially prepared baked snacks.
Pros
- Free from unhealthy fats
- Flavorful low calorie snack
- Goes well with spreads and dips
- Can be served as a party snack
Cons
- Saltiness can be overwhelming
- High in sodium
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Our Choice For The Best Low Calorie Late Night Snack
Of all the featured product, TROPEE Gluten-Free Food Fruit Bars Mango has satisfied most of the components of what best late night snacks genuinely are. Firstly, each bar is only 50 calories; you can splurge two bars and still will not count that much to your calorie bank. Second, it is derived from real fruits that are lightly processed and does not employ the use of anything artificial, making them high in nutritional value. Its carb content will surely curb hunger. That is what true best late night snacks stand for– one that will keep you full and satiated but in low caloric value.
