We are used to the fact that eating right before bed is not good for us. Our digestive system slows down at night, and everything we eat late in the day becomes fat. Eating two or three hours before bed is considered to be very bad for the ones that are trying to lose weight, as well as for the ones that happy with their current weight.
Obvious reason is, packing on additional pounds. It is logical, then, to add foods like peanut butter to the list of no-go late night foods, or maybe not?
Peanut butter nutritional information
One serving of peanut butter contains 3mg of very powerful antioxidant vitamin E, also 49 mg of magnesium that builds our bones to be strong, 208 mg of potassium that builds our muscles, and 0.17mg of vitamin B6 that boosts our immune system. So, like we can see, peanut butter is quite nutritional, and you probably didn’t know that. Eating this food, helps us fight heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health conditions.
Some studies indicate that eating two tablespoons of peanut butter or 1 ounce of nuts can prevent diabetes by 30%. He also contains good fat that you can’t find in other foods similar to this one. When you need to choose between fatty foods, than it is better to go for the fat that we can find in peanut butter. This is because fats that come from nuts in general, are very beneficial to our health and protect our body, believe it or not.
Peanut butter is also rich in fiber, which actually keeps us feeling full, and beats the hunger feeling. They are found in whole grain, beans, almonds and other nuts, vegetables and berries. Not only they make us feel full for a longer time, but they also protect us from strokes, keep our skin healthy, take care of our heart and a lot more.
Of course, watch out for different brands of peanut butter, because not all of them are good for you. Some of them contain a large amount of sugar and sodium, which is not at all good for our overall health. These unhealthy components are mostly found in the low fat versions of peanut butter, so always make sure to check the ingredients and you will be safe.
Peanut butter before bed
Now that we know the main ingredients of peanut butter good question to askis what changes the fact, that eating before bed is bad for us. Well, it is confirmed that eating peanut butter before bed won’t hurt you, on the contrary it might even help you lose weight.
Sleeping at night with a full belly can interrupt our good night sleep, so it is important to take as in as little food as possible so that our body can rest properly. This goes for going to bed hungry, wich can also keep us awake. So, if considering to take a snack then you should be careful about the one you will chose. Foods like chocolate, coffee or tea should definitely be avoided.
Sleep is very important for those who want to lose weight because it helps in overall plan. Poor night’s sleep can disrupts hormones that control appetite, so if you lack sleep you will probably feel very hungry in the morning. Good before bed snack should have about 200 calories or less and it should also be a mix of fiber and protein. These components work on that „hunger craving“ and control it. Fiber specially, makes you feel full fo a longer time.
You should eat it with food like Greek yogurt and maybe one tablespoon of flaxseeds, can provide us with polyunsaturated fats that are good for our body. Peanuts are rich in fibers, which keeps us feeling full without packing on additional pounds.
So, the main conection between peanut butter and sleep is that he contains everything you need to satisfy your hunger, and still remain true to your diet, and not gain additional pounds by doing so.
Snacks made from peanut butter
You can find a lot of recipes that contain peanut butter as their main ingredient, but when it is late and you don’t have a lot of time to prepare something healthy, then easy snacks are the way to go.
It is best to use peanut butter in combination with low fat foods or foods that also contain proteins and fiber, so that this method shows it’s best results. You can use nonfat Greek yogurt with chopped walnuts and half of cup of strawberries. All of that contains only 180 calories, or 18 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.
Other options for you to keep your before sleep hunger in check is to eat peanut butter with some whole-grain crackers that can also come in handy as a late night snack. This combination contains about 190 calories with 6 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of fiber. Try dipping carrot sticks in peanut butter, and many other healthy options.
And finally, grab a spoon and get your daily amount of peanut butter right out of the jar. Just don’t get carried away, and put that spoon down after two spoons.
All of these snacks must be measured just the right way, and going overboard can get you nowhere. Or, it is better to say, make it even worse. If you don’t feel full right away then wait for a while, before taking more food. Sometimes our bodies need time to process the food, so these snacks will be enough to get you through the night. So measure all of your portions and enjoy your healthy snack.
Going low fat don’t mean a thing
When chosing the „right“ peanut butter, don’t be fooled by all the low fat versions out there. All of the calories that you get from regular peanut butter, are also in the low fat versions. The reason for this is this is becausecalories are not the thing you should be careful about. When chosing a night time snack food, in this case peanut butter, watch out for the amount of sodium and sugar. These ingredients you don’t want to have in large amounts before going to bed.
Sodium range in peanut butter is between 40mg to 250mg per two tablespoon servings. Sodium is also responsible for masking the peanut flavor.
Sugar on the other hand, in two tablespoons, should be around1 to 2 grams. If your peanut butter serving goes above this limit, then it is definitely not the right choice.
Brands that indicate low fat content of peanut butter usually compensate with sugar and sodium. Words like whipped peanut butter, offer you less calories, because of the air that gets whipped inside, but actually you are not saving anything. You will end up spreading more than one serving and consuming calories you allegedly saved.
„Honey roasted“ peanut butter means more additional sugar and sodium, which you definitely do not want, and „no stir“ one contains palm oil and hydrogenated fats that will get you in bad shape in no time.
So, chosing the right late night snack might not be that easy. Reading the labels in this case, can help you determine the right one and save you from all those unwanted calories. Make sure to measure your portions so you don’t go over 200 calories before going to bed, and combine this nutritive ingredient with some other healthy food.
Remember to take in fiber, because they will keep you full for a long time and also make your body more healthy and strong. It is important to not get carried away because that is quite easy with late night snacks, and you will get your quality good night sleep without feeling guilty.
