Nowadays with the daily rush, work and studies, usually when you get home all you want is to have a practical and tasty snack to finally rest and go to bed. Eating well is essential throughout the day.
And eating at night requires some special care, especially if you are dieting and do not want to falter. Many people think that having a healthy diet requires a lot of investment, but in reality eating well is nothing more than having a balanced and varied diet. That is, in one meal include ingredients from all food groups and avoid processed foods.
The offer of products geared to this lifestyle is huge, but there are also simple, practical, natural alternatives that will not lose your pocket and will be even healthier.
Specialists Felipe Monnerat, nutritionist and personal trainer, and Luana Priscila Pinto dos Santos, nutritionist with a specialization in Functional Sports Nutrition, contributed the following tips to keep you fit and not feel heavy before sleep.
According to nutritionist Felipe Monnerat, to respect that story of? King breakfast, prince lunch and commoner dinner? It may make some sense, but it's not a rule for everyone. Avoid? Heavy meals? It is recommended especially for those who have their daily life (work) routine and those people with gastrointestinal problems (reflux, gastritis, ulcers) and people with obesity.
Read also: 13 tips to fool hunger in a healthy way
By contrast, for those seeking weight gain and muscle mass work or exercise at night or early in the morning this should be reviewed. Another situation that should be considered is the issue of urban mobility and increased working hours, especially for self-employed people who only manage to make their meal more complete at night and this should be considered by the health professional. Therefore, it is essential to consult an expert in the field.
12 light foods you can eat at night
For an evening meal to be light and healthy, it is best to include foods from all groups, such as carbohydrates, fiber and protein, Luana recommends.
1. Eggs
Egg is one of the most complete foods and a great source of protein. There is controversy that the egg and especially the yolks can increase the "bad cholesterol", but this is a mistake, the egg helps and a lot in good cholesterol (HDL).
Some preparation suggestions: Scrambled eggs with olive oil, garlic and onion. In the form of omelette beaten on the plate with carrot, tomato, spinach and onion. Poached eggs (heat the water, add vinegar, swirl with the spoon and toss the eggs until cooked). Boiled eggs drizzled with olive oil, oregano and green seasoning.
2. White meat like chicken or fish
White meat is a source of omega 3 and omega 6, as well as fatty acids, substances that improve the body's functioning and contribute to good nutrition.
Also read: 10 Anti Aging Foods You Should Include in Your Diet
Preparation Suggestion: Season with onion, garlic, lemon and olive oil and broil in a nonstick pan. You can also bake chicken thigh and drumstick in the oven with vegetables such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, red onion and colored peppers.
3. Salads
Salads are always a great option for dinner, are light, nutritious and help the body function, as well as giving a good feeling of satiety. Green leaves, arugula, lettuce, watercress, chard and spinach are great options for evening preparation. Another idea is to turbocharge the green salad with sardines or tuna.
4. Boiled Vegetables
Most vegetables are low calorie foods and help to satisfy hunger. In the evening you can prepare: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, chayote, zucchini and tomatoes. You can make the dishes steamed or sauteed in olive oil, garlic and onions.
5. Fruits
They should be consumed daily. They provide minerals, vitamins, different dietary fibers, antioxidants and compounds that help regulate the body. At dinner you can include apple, pineapple, papaya, melon, orange and avocado. Adding a fiber source along with oats, flaxseeds, chia and amaranth is also a good one.
6. Vegetable Soup
Cream soup or soup are ideas for healthy, light, low-calorie but very nutritious preparations. They can be prepared with vegetables that help in the proper functioning of the body.Suggestion of preparation: to cook the chicken and to save the cooking water to make the vegetable soup. Cook three types of vegetables such as carrots, chayote, broccoli and collard greens. Shred the chicken and add in the soup.
Read also: 12 Tips to Detoxify Your Body
7. Cauliflower or broccoli cream (low carb)
Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family and is known as one of the most nutritious vegetables. It is a rich source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. Broccoli is also an excellent source of protein and beta carotene. In addition to being rich in calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium.
Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin K, and vitamin B-6. Vitamin B1, B2, B3, and E. In addition to providing essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and manganese. Preparation: Cook the cauliflower and beat in a blender with the cooking water or sauté the cabbage or broccoli with a little olive oil, garlic, onion, turmeric and other seasonings of your choice.
8. Carrot Cream
Carrot is the most cultivated vegetable in the world. They can be prepared in various ways such as soups, boiled cakes and it can even be eaten raw. Because it is rich in fiber, improves digestion and fights constipation, strengthens the immune system because it is rich in antioxidants, prevents premature aging, is rich in vitamin A and beta carotene. It helps to lose weight because it has few calories, besides helping to maintain that beautiful tan.
Preparation: Cook the carrots and beat in a blender with ginger chips near the cooking water. Sauté with olive oil, onion and garlic. It can also be done with pumpkin and green seasoning.
9. Peach palm or bifum noodles
For those who do not know, peach palm is a type of palm. The spaghetti is made with only palm heart without any other additives. It is super high, besides being healthy. But bifum is a noodle made of rice, star of the oriental menus. As it is made of rice, it does not contain gluten, which helps in preventing digestive tract diseases. It also has low glycemic index which helps control diabetes, and also reduces the absorption of fat from food, making it a healthy and less caloric option.
Also read: 15 Healthiest Supermarket Foods
Cooking tip: Cook and make a homemade tomato sauce (tomato, onion, garlic, olive oil and basil) and if you prefer, you can also add some ground beef.
10. 7 grain rice risotto or quinoa
7 grain rice is a low glycemic index carbohydrate source, it has more nutrients, fiber and magnesium, better digestion and more satiety than plain plain white rice. The 7 grains are: needling rice, grain barley, white and red quinoa, black rice, red rice, millet grains and wheat grains.
Quinoa, rich in fiber, protein and nutrients, is one of the most complete foods in the world, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Preparation Suggestion: Cook rice or quinoa with a little salt. Place the chopped shimeji (mushroom) in a large skillet with some water to scald. Once the water has dried, add garlic, onion, chopped nuts, salt and olive oil and sauté for a maximum of 3 minutes. Add the braised quinoa and serve with green seasoning.
11. Pancakes
Who says we can't eat pancakes at night? As long as it is made with wholesome and wholesome ingredients it's no problem, it's a great and practical snack option. Suggestion of preparation: make with a beaten egg, oat bran, green spices and put in nonstick without greasing. Stuffing option: Shredded chicken with tomato and lettuce or guacamole.
12. Guacamole
For Mexican food lovers, this is a great and delicious option. Guacamole is super healthy, avocado has good fats that are excellent for our health. Suggested preparation: mash avocado and add finely chopped tomatoes, 1 lemon juice, chopped onion, salt, pepper and olive oil. It can be the filling of a pancake or can be eaten with rice crackers, salad dressing or side dish with a white meat.
Luana explains that it is ideal to eat up to 3 hours before bed, but this varies according to each individual's routine. It is not possible to indicate an ideal time, and until 1 hour before bedtime you can have a supper with a fruit, tea or oilseeds that stimulate satiety at this time of night. Those who train or gym in the evening can have a pre-workout snack and after training prepare a light dinner with good protein sources like eggs, chicken or fish and raw salads or roots.
Is bread the big villain?
According to the expert, bread is a problem not only in the night because it is a food containing wheat.Wheat, in addition to behaving like sugar in the body, increases blood glucose, thereby increasing insulin and favoring the storage of fat leading to weight gain. In addition, wheat can cause some symptoms such as fatigue, moodiness, irritability, hunger and increasingly addicting our body to consuming it.
Are you also involved in a number of immune, inflammatory, diabetes, heart disease, allergies? Other than that, bread is a product containing various compounds such as trans fats, sugars and preservatives. That is, it is necessary to consume fewer products and more real food, which means food in its most natural form possible. Between the two types of breads French and wholemeal, the best option is brown bread because it contains fiber, seeds and most of the time is made with 100% whole flour.
That is why it is important to check the origin and reliability of the bread, always reading the label that should indicate in the composition? Whole flour? and not? flour enriched with folic acid? which is what we often find.
What foods should be avoided?
We need to be aware of what we eat before bed, as our metabolism is slow at this time. Many times we are unable to sleep well because we feel heavy after eating certain foods that do not allow the body to digest properly, disrupting the much-needed rest to start a new day.
The foods to avoid are: stimulating foods like coffee, cola drinks, chocolates, black tea, green tea, spices such as ginger, cinnamon and pepper that are thermogenic, hard-to-digest foods like pasta, breads, potatoes, rice, beans, pizza, processed foods, fried foods and condiments, explains Luana.
And the most important tip of all be sure to drink water, staying hydrated is a big step to avoid overeating at night. Dietary re-education is necessary to keep your health up to date, your body in balance and a full-functioning brain.
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