There’s a delicate line we must walk when it comes to our blood sugar, hormones, and energy levels. If we aren’t consuming enough protein and carbs, or we’re simply not getting the right amount of nutrients, we can experience an unhappy body. Unsurprisingly, this affects the quality of our sleep. This is where pro-metabolic bedtime snacks come in. For those of us who can’t sleep all the way through the night, wake up feeling tired and stressed, don’t have an appetite in the morning, and experience blood sugar drops – this could be the answer. To put it simply, our liver may just need more sugar and nutrients to make it through the night (so we don’t rely on cortisol). So what does a healthy bedtime snack look like?
Greek yoghurt, fruit and honey
The best snacks to feed yourself before bed are well-balanced – rich in protein, simple carbs, and fat. Although greek yoghurt is a great option, any dairy works. You could opt for milk, cottage cheese, kefir, cheese. As always, make sure it’s good quality dairy – organic and grass-fed are ideal. For the fruit, I find a good option before bed is cooked apple or pear. These fruits become much softer and easier to digest when they’re cooked, and they taste so good with butter and cinnamon (note – saturated fat is good for you!).
Ice cream
Hold up – ice cream? Yes!! Having said that, quality does matter. Pay attention to the ingredients of each tub when you visit the grocery store next. A lot of ice cream is full of garbage – glucose syrup, vegetable oil, emulsifiers, stabilisers, and artificial colours and flavours. The best ice cream out there (that I know of) is Haagen-Dazs Vanilla. The full ingredients list is cream, condensed milk, sugar, water, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. It’s okay to eat ice cream when it’s made of real food! It’s also balanced with protein, fats, and simple carbs. Winning.
Homemade gelatin gummies
Gelatin gummies are a staple of pro-metabolic eating. In Kate Deering’s book How To Heal Your Metabolism, she describes gelatin as a super protein. Gelatin is the protein that comes from the cooked connective tissue of meat. What makes it a super protein is its ability to heal. It can improve digestion and liver detoxification, stabilise blood sugar, and boost the health of your hair, skin, and nails. Unlike meat, eggs, and dairy, gelatin lacks inflammatory amino acids like tryptophan. So homemade gelatin gummies are a perfect healthy bedtime snack (and they are so easy to make). If you’re looking for recipes, here are two great ones from Kate Deering and Kitty Blomfield. And here’s a perfect option for grass-fed gelatin.
A bowl of oats
For some, fibre is the best option for a healthy bedtime snack. There really is no one-size-fits-all. Cook your oats in milk and add a spoonful of butter or coconut oil and maple syrup (the real stuff). This snack is one that’s full of fibre, healthy fats, carbs, and protein. If you want to add some extra protein, I’d suggest adding a scoop of collagen to the oats while they’re cooking. And if you’re like me and need something with chocolate in it (I don’t blame you), add in some cacao powder. I love to top mine with strawberries.
Aim to have your snack 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Make sure it has protein, carbs, and fat, and that it’s high-quality (whole food ingredients and grass-fed). Happy bedtime snacking!
Yours,
Kait x
Cover photo by Solod Sha