Before we get started on great late-night snacks that support weight loss, let’s take note of a 2015 study that revealed snacking at night leads to overeating. As you know, overeating contributes to weight gain. However, if you plan to go to bed and hear your stomach growling, it is very tempting to reach for something quick and tasty. The problem is that most people reach for the wrong snacks to hold them over. 

Sometimes, it’s very possible that you did not eat enough during the day and need a snack to tide you over until morning. There are many hunger-curbing snacks that are healthy to enjoy before bed. The key is to choose low-calorie foods that keep you full without exceeding your caloric limit. Choose from the following healthy late-night snacks when hunger strikes. 

Oatmeal

There’s nothing wrong with a little A.M in the P.M. A bowl of warm oatmeal is quite the filling late-night snack because it is rich in fiber, offering four grams per half cup of uncooked oats. One serving of plain oatmeal has about 160 calories, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It is low in fat and sugar, provided you don’t use those packets of processed oatmeals. Cook your oats in water and season them with cinnamon and a little maple syrup to keep the calories down. 

Fruit With Nut Butter

Some people argue against eating fruit at night because it can ferment in the gut overnight. As long as you know your digestive system, you can plan to eat the right fruits, which are typically low in calories and high in fiber. If you want a sweet treat, opt for fruit instead of ice cream or cake because the natural sugar will satisfy your sweet tooth. Consider eating whole fruits, such as grapes, apples, pears, cherries, berries, or grapes, all of which provide about 80 calories per cup. If you need something a little more substantial than fruit, try dipping your fruit in either low-fat yogurt, natural peanut butter, or almond butter. Be careful with how much nut butter you eat, though, because it can have about 90-100 calories per tablespoon. 

Popcorn

Do not grab a packet of movie theater popcorn and eat the entire thing while watching Netflix. If you want to get your crunch on, sub those unhealthy chips and crackers with air-popped popcorn. One serving of popped popcorn without butter offers just 31 calories. You don’t have to eat it plain; rather, you can season your popcorn with some garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder, or other seasonings to liven up the flavor. You can choose to put nutritional yeast on the popcorn for a cheesy flavor, but keep in mind that a two tablespoon serving contains 50 calories. 

Veggies And Hummus

Vegetables are some of the lowest calorie foods you can enjoy, and they typically contain a lot of water and fiber. One cup of raw carrot sticks, celery, bell peppers, snap peas, cucumber, broccoli, or zucchini offers between 25 to 50 calories. In addition to helping you feel full, vegetables provide lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which benefit overall health. To provide extra sustenance, dip your vegetables in one to two tablespoons of hummus. Eating too much hummus will increase your caloric intake a lot, so be careful with your portions. 

Protein-Rich Foods

Don’t go grab a tomahawk steak and eat it like a caveman; rather, focus on high-fiber, protein-rich foods that move slowly through the digestive tract. A great high-protein and healthy fat option is mixed nuts. Just be mindful of your portions because an ounce provides 170 calories. You can also consume low-fat yogurt with some berries. Eggs can also be a great source of proteins, with one large hard-boiled egg providing 75 calories.

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You can’t have popcorn while cleansing, but you can have some cheesy raw cauliflower popcorn! This dehydrated snack is cheesy, salty, and crunchy. Not only that, but it is a great nutritious alternative to corn, most of which is genetically modified. The cauliflower absorbs the seasonings and nutritional yeast, creating a savory snack that is easy to eat and healthy to snack on. No more feeling guilty about reaching into a bowl of popcorn with this snack!

You’ll notice that the cauliflower has an orange tint and that is because of the turmeric, which exhibits many health properties. Not only does it help boost immunity and metabolism, but it also works to lower inflammatory markers. But let’s talk about the star of the show: cauliflower. This cruciferous vegetable is relatively bland, but is low in carbs, gluten-free, and offers surprising health benefits. One study found that cauliflower works to reduce inflammation, which researchers attributed to the antioxidants that counter oxidative stress. When you have a build up of free radicals in the body, the damage cells and result in systemic inflammation, which increases your risk of premature aging and disease.

Because cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable, it helps reduce the risk of two leading causes of death in the United States: heart disease and cancer. Cruciferous vegetables contain substances that protect bends and branches of blood vessels. Those are the areas most prone to inflammation! that means that cauliflower, and other cruciferous veggies, help protect your heart. That’s why studies confirm that a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables reduces the risk of hardening in the arteries.

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Air fryers have taken the world by storm, but some things just don’t need to be put in them. TikTok and Instagram videos have popularized these kitchen appliances even more, touting them as efficient ways to cook healthier meals. Air fryers circulate air to achieve a fried finish commonly achieved by deep-frying food. The only difference is that air fryers don’t use oil, which can impart unhealthy saturated and trans fats into your food. 

The beauty of an air fryer is that it is essentially a small convection oven. Because of the size, you can cook food in a shorter amount of time. Not to mention, they heat up quickly and tend to be more energy efficient than most ovens, depending on size and energy provider, of course. You don’t just have to reheat French fries or make donuts, chicken tenders and complex desserts, though. You can roast vegetables, toast bread, and make other healthy meal options. 

However, you shouldn’t use these nifty kitchen appliances to cook everything. Some meals do not need to be air-fried. For safety reasons, you should definitely not cook certain foods in an air fryer. Don’t know what those foods are? Read on to find out. 

Anything With A Sauce

Stews, chili, bolognese sauce, or other hardy dishes tend to be midweek favorites among the masses. They are relatively easy to prepare and are quite filling. We strongly advise against cooking these meals in an air fryer. As hot air circulates within the air fryer, the hot liquids can splatter. Not only does this make the air fryer messy, but it is also very dangerous, as wet splatters can potentially short-circuit the air fryer or cause an electrical complication. If you want to make a saucy recipe, slow cookers are the better appliances.

Broccoli

Some vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, are excellent at retaining moisture during the cooking process. For that reason, they crisp up nicely in an air fryer without drying out. Broccoli, however, can become chewy and bitter in an air fryer, which is why roasting or sautéing broccoli florets are better cooking options. You can also steam broccoli as an alternative preparation method. 

Rice

In order to cook raw grains, you have to boil them in water. A few drops of water in your air fryer basket won’t do any harm, but this gadget isn’t meant for boiling or steaming food. If you already have cooked rice, however, you can put it in the air fryer to make a crispy rice cake. It’s better to cook rice in a rice cooker for the fluffiest rice possible. 

Anything With A Wet Batter

Some people are aware of the fact that cooking something with a wet batter in an air fryer doesn’t yield the same result as frying it in a pot of oil. In fact, recipes that use a wet batter will be messy and they won’t crisp up properly. The reason for this is that there isn’t enough hot oil to set the batter. Instead of becoming crispy, that wet batter will most likely drop everywhere. You’ll be left with unevenly cooked food and a puddle of burnt batter drippings in the bottom of your air fryer basket. If you want to achieve a golden-brown, crispy exterior, you can use a dry coating on your food. 

Popcorn

Popcorn is a classic movie theater snack, but you shouldn’t cook it in an air fryer. Popcorn kernels can easily become lodged with the fryer’s heating element, increasing the risk of a shortage and fire hazard. You can, however, make your own popcorn in a pot on the stove, or in the microwave. Manufacturers make silicone vessels to put kernels in and you can cook them in the microwave without the use of oil or butter. 

Hard-Boiled Eggs

You can use an air fryer to make hard-boiled eggs, but the texture can be a little chewy, rubbery, and unpleasant. There are much better and more efficient ways to achieve better results. If you want to give the air fryer method a go, cook medium-sized eggs straight from the fridge at 255º F for 10 minutes.

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Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes irritation or swelling in the digestive tract. Affecting over half a million Americans, Crohn’s disease can trigger diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and cramps. Depending on the person and the severity of the condition, inflammation can occur in different areas of the digestive tract. If left unchecked, inflammation can spread to deeper layers of the bowel tissues. 

If you have Crohn’s disease, you know that flare-ups can feel incapacitating. Not only do flare-ups interrupt your life, but they can also make you feel miserable. Furthermore, it’s possible to worsen flare-ups by choosing the wrong foods. Although there isn’t a specific Crohn’s diet, there are foods that patients should avoid. Some foods may trigger flare-ups or give the gut general discomfort. 

According to dietitians and health experts, the following foods are thought to trigger Crohn’s flare-ups. This isn’t to say that these foods trigger reactions in every person with the condition. Some people may have to keep a food journal or experiment to see which foods make the gut happy. Generally speaking, though, the following foods can trigger Crohn’s flare-ups. 

Popcorn

This classic movie snack is often doused in butter, and it happens to be rich in fiber. Unfortunately, both fiber and fat (butter) are common Crohn’s triggers. More often than not, people with Crohn’s are better off consuming low-fat diets that don’t include a lot of fibrous foods. It’s possible that some people can enjoy a small amount of popcorn with no butter during remissions, but most claim that popcorn worsens existing symptoms. 

Fruit Skin

Fruit skin can irritate the gut, regardless of whether a person has Crohn’s or not. Some people with sensitive digestive systems can benefit from peeling all their fruit. The skin can irritate the gut’s lining, which causes a flare-up. 

Sweeteners

Every person should know how to identify sweeteners on ingredient labels. It’s very easy for people to overlook them because they aren’t aware of the names. Maltitol, xylitol, and sorbitol are all added sweeteners that are poorly absorbed by the body. This can cause bloating, gas, or diarrhea. That’s why it’s best for Crohn’s patients to avoid fruit juices, sodas, or any gums and candies that contain “sugar alcohols.”

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, fiber, and protein. That’s exactly why both of them are not recommended for people with Crohn’s disease. Many people with Crohn’s cannot properly digest them, which causes irritation to the lining in the gut. Some people, however, can tolerate ground nuts and seeds. If you have Crohn’s and are willing to experiment, start out with smooth almond butter or tahini. 

Dairy Products

There are many people with Crohn’s that have no problem consuming dairy products. If the person experiences symptoms that may indicate a flare-up, though, it’s best to steer clear of dairy. Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products. It commonly causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, and bloating, and that’s not specific to Crohn’s patients. Try lactose-free alternatives or simply avoid whole milk, sour cream, ice cream, and other similar dairy products when a flare-up occurs. 

Cigarettes

This doesn’t necessarily fall under the “food” umbrella, but the smoke, nicotine, and chemicals still enter the body. A review of 33 studies found that the severity of Crohn’s disease decreased after people stoped smoking cigarettes. Smoking constricts blood vessels, which causes inadequate oxygen flow and nutrition to the intestines. Health experts theorize that this increases biochemical mediators of inflammation, causing harm to the digestive system. 

Not everyone with Crohn’s disease experiences the same reactions to common food triggers. If you live with Crohn’s, you may have to go through a trial and error stage of testing foods to see how you react to them. Keep a food journal and jot down what you experience after eating certain foods. You can click here if you want to learn more about foods that are beneficial for Crohn’s patients. 

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Snacking just got a whole lot more nutritious! This cauliflower “popcorn” is a little spicy and undoubtedly savory. If you feel like adding your own flair, spice it up with your favorite seasonings!

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