What late-night cravings tell you
- col-bobbie-randall
- June 11, 2025
- 156
There is nothing like putting your feet up and digging into a bowl of popcorn or ice cream at the end of a long day. Unfortunately, these snacks can backfire on a healthy lifestyle.
While the occasional bedtime snack is fine, daily ending a day with something sweet or salty may spell trouble. Studies reveal consistent snacking before bed increases the chance of weight gain, obesity and cardio diseases.
Blame the body’s built-in survival mechanisms on this. The body’s internal processes, called circadian rhythms, raise our hunger and cravings for sweet, salty and high-carbohydrate foods in the evening.
A desire to eat high-calorie foods may have begun with our primal ancestors when food was scarce. But in today’s world, unnecessary calories at night can throw off our internal clocks and increase the storage of fat cells, resulting in an unhealthy weight.
Many times people eat at night because they are thirsty, or they haven’t eaten enough calories throughout the day. Instead of reaching for a calorie and caffeine-loaded beverage or snack, the first defense should be drinking 8 ounces of water or a caffeine-free, no-calorie tea or coffee.
Ideally, stop eating two to three hours before going to bed. If you are hungry and hunger drives you to want a snack before dropping off into slumber, chances are you’re not eating enough during the day. If this is the case, it is important to choose a small, low-calorie, nutrient-dense snack at this time of day.
A bowl of ice cream is high in saturated fats and added sugars, which can trigger cravings that lead to overeating. Plus, the amount of sugar in ice cream increases blood sugar and makes it more difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep. If this is a nighttime ritual for you, stick to a one-half cup serving without chocolate or caramel syrup. Portion size is the key to overeating.
One small handful of low-salt nuts will satisfy cravings and hunger while inducing sleepiness. Nuts like walnuts and almonds offer natural melatonin, protein and magnesium. Magnesium intake is associated with longer sleep and better sleep quality.
Salty foods like popcorn, crackers, chips and other snacks are usually high in sodium. Salt intake before bed can disrupt the sleeping cycle.
Chocolate tends to be high in sugar and caffeine, meaning it’s not the wisest option for a bedtime snack. The darker the chocolate, the more caffeine it has.
A dietitian friend, Fran Merda, once said, “If a bowl of low-sugar cereal does not sound tasty to you at bedtime, then you are not hungry.”
Pair a bowl of low-sugar cereal with some low-fat milk for a one-two punch. A cereal low in sugar provides the body with high-fiber carbs to keep you feeling full while milk offers the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan produces serotonin in the body, which is converted into melatonin, inducing sleep.
A glass of water is a great bedtime ritual. One small dip of ice cream may hit the spot. A cup of milk offers more to nighttime snackers than you realize.
Thank a dairy farmer during National Dairy Month.
Bobbie Randall is a registered, licensed dietitian. Email her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com.