Sinless Snacks

More and more people are eating consciously. People are starting to be aware of when, what and how much they eat. But even the most health conscious dieter can sometimes give in to temptation, and they may eat a bag of chips or a bar of chocolate over a movie. Sometimes you may have had an early dinner, and stayed up a while, and now you are hungry again. Fortunately, there are foods which can be eaten at night, are sugar free (or almost, anyway) and low in calories. These foods do not disturb our sleep, but are delicious and can curb hunger.

1.    Plain yoghurt

Yoghurt is the favorite of dieters around the world. It can be flavored in a million ways depending on your wishes. If you want something savory, just add some veggies or use it as a dip, if you want something sweet, throw in some red berries, or make it into a smoothie. On warm summer days, pop it into the freezer for an hour, and you can have a delicious icy treat, something like a homemade ice cream.

2.    Dark chocolate

Chocolate is still an option, but make sure it is at least 70%. Many people don’t like it, but it is worth trying. It has a full, rich flavor, it is les sweet than milk chocolate, but you can taste the flavor of the cocoa beans better. Don’t go and eat a whole bar, but you can have a few pieces and still not fall off the diet wagon. Cutting chocolate up into tiny pieces is a great way to make the flavor and the feeling last longer, and is also a diet trick used by French women.

3.    Dried figs

Gummy bears are not the only things that are chewy and sweet. Dried fruits also have these qualities, and half the sugar to boot. If you don’t like figs, check out dates, dried peaches or banana crisps, or prunes. These contain lots and lots of antioxidants. Often enough fruits are dried along with added sugar, make sure you keep an eye on this when purchasing, and only buy sugar free.

4.    Pop corn

Chips, nachos and cheesits are easily replaced with popcorn. Popcorn has tons of iron, more than spinach(!), and is rich in protein. Make sure to eat it in moderation, though! The best is if you buy some kernels of corn, and pop them yourself. This way you can be sure that there are no additives in your corn, and you can also make sure that you can flavor it the way you want. You will have to forego butter, however, as butter has high fat content. Throw a little paprika or herbs on it instead, and if you are up for an adventure, try some cinnamon.

5.    Almonds

Salt raises blood pressure, which you do not want at night. Eat unsalted, plain almonds, because you can get tons of protein, and besides being delicious, almonds also help in rebuilding muscle mass, for example. The essential oils in it are good for the skin, but almonds are not low in calories. Don’t eat more than 50 grams a day.

6.    Frozen blueberries

You can throw it in some yoghurt, but it tastes great on its own, too. If you freeze it, it becomes exciting. It is a great way to cool yourself in the summer heat, especially if you like bitter tastes. It is a natural antioxidant, and is low in calories, so you can eat as much as you like.

7.    Boiled eggs

Eggs are also low in calories, but have lots of proteins, so you should eat it after you do sports. It keeps good for a long time in the fridge, so if you know that you go and raid the kitchen at night, you can just leave some for your future self to find. If you want to make things a bit more interesting, scoop out the yolk, crush it with a fork, add olives, onions, radish and tomato, and place it back inside the egg. Delicious low calorie treat that is healthy and has all the nutrients you need.  

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