Healthy, yummy treats that won’t blow the calorie bank!
What if a bedtime snack was the only thing standing between you and a good night’s sleep? We get why full-flavored-get-in-my-belly-kinda-food gets such a bad rap. Healthy doesn’t exactly rank high in most of the ingredient lists. And let’s face it, cheesy, chocolatey goodness – while utterly delicious – can be a recipe for a night of rocking and rolling.
If you’re like us and think the almighty bedtime snack is the best meal of the day, it’s time to healthy-up your comfort food options. Before you turn your nose up, a few simple and delicious tweaks to your favorite recipes can actually help you nod off quicker – and stay asleep longer. Good enough reason to keep reading?
Consider adding the following ingredients to your favorite recipes – or check out some of the yummy recipes we found online.
Ginger
Ginger is naturally caffeine-free and a cup of ginger tea can warm you from the inside out. But there’s so much more you can do with ginger. Try these recipes on for size:
Almonds
Almonds are a sleep superstar. They contain magnesium, which promotes both sleep and muscle relaxation. As well, they’re rich in protein, which will help you maintain a stable blood sugar level while sleeping. Try these bedtime recipes:
Tart cherries
Cherries boost melatonin naturally. If you’re not familiar with melatonin, it’s a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate your sleep cycle. Sip a glass of tart cherry juice or scoop some cherries into bowl to munch on before bed. Or try one of these recipes:
- Chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies with cherries
- Mini cherry cheesecakes
- Cherry almond snack cake recipe
Dark chocolate
The cacao bean is a chalky, nasty-tasting disease-fighting bullet. The serotonin in it makes it a sleep over-achiever. While milk, sugar and butter make it taste better, they also add a heap of calories and reduce effectiveness. Substitute milk instead of cream, low-fat margarine instead of butter and stick to chocolate that’s at least 70% cacao. Reap the rewards of dark chocolate with these recipes:
Bananas
If your mom fed you bananas before bed, she was onto something good. They contain the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan, which encourages relaxation. Nosh on these delish ideas:
Hungry for more info about sleep and food? Those happen to be our two favorite topics and we’ve got loads to share!
