Tuesday, April 19, 2016

FOODIE SPECIAL ........Crack the midnight snack

Crack the midnight snack


When hunger strikes at midnight, ditch calorie-rich, fatty food and embrace homemade goodies like strawberry yoghurt and bhel

A couple of months ago, Rashi Mehra used to work for a BPO. At the end of the three years that she spent there, where she worked through the graveyard shift, she got used to leading a nocturnal existence. But a desire to serve society motivated her to switch to working for an NGO. But the new job also meant early mornings and an earlier bedtime.“I find it so difficult to follow my new schedule. I am wide awake at midnight, raiding my fridge to satisfy my hunger pangs. I end up settling in front of the TV with a plate of rotis and sabzi. Unsurprisingly, I have put on three kilos in one month,“ bemoans Mehra.
This scenario might seem familiar to most of us. Hectic work schedules mean longer nights and much-delayed dinners. And if it's not work that's keeping you awake at midnight, it's the latest season of your favourite TV show or a cricket match. So what does one do when hunger strikes at midnight? Nutrition experts explain that snacking at midnight is allowed as long as you keep a few rules in mind. For starters, avoid carbohydrates. Sucheta Pal, a celebrity master trainer and Zumba education specialist for India explains that one should instead have more proteins and fibre, as they digest easily. “When you feel hungry at midnight, your instant reaction is to reach out for fried chips or instant noodles as they are readily available. Instead, prepare your midnight snacks beforehand and store them in the fridge so that you can easily have them.“ Amreen Shaikh, dietician, Wockhardt Hospitals, points out that one should refrain from ordering in or having processed food.“Have something homemade and light or else you won't be able to sleep well. And as our metabolism rate generally slows down in the night, avoid calorie-rich foods as well or else you will put on weight.“ Prachi Sanghvi, co-founder and head of MyDIETist Nutrition App, agrees, adding that one must have “good quality protein,“ like paneer. Clinical nutritionist and dietician Kanchan Patwardhan suggests having a nofrills glass of jaljira at home with mint to satisfy a craving for salt.“One can also made a tadka out of steamed mini idlis with less oil. Or, you could make a chiwda out of healthy options like ragi and bajra.Strawberry yoghurt is a good option as well, with a maximum of 200 calories.“
Here, experts list out five midnight snacks that one can have without waking up with a sense of intense guilt the morning after.
Platter of veggiesfruits and homemade yoghurt-based dip:
“Prepare a healthy snack with cut fruits and berries like strawberries, a bit of honey, fresh cream and a drizzle of chocolate,“ explains Pal.Another option is baby carrot and cucumber sticks or celery, served with a homemade yoghurt-based dip. “Cucumbers have negative calories,“ says Patwardhan.
Khakhra mix or bhel with date chutney:
Sanghvi says that instead of reaching out for wafers, one can easily rustle up a snack with homemade khakhras. “Break the khakhra into small pieces. Add onions, tomatoes, mint and coriander chutney to it. The dish is crispy, tangy, spicy and nutritious.You can even add masalas,“ she explains. Sukka bhel, explains Pal, is another good snack. “You can mix the bhel with onions, tomatoes, olive oil and rock salt.Drizzle it with lime juice. The snack won't leave you feeling bloated,“ she adds. Patwardhan suggests adding date chutney to the mix instead of imli chutney. “Date chutney has micronutrients like iron and calcium,“ she points out.“And depending on the ingredients you add to the bhel, like peanuts, the calorie count of one serving can vary between 150 to 250 calories.“
Crackers tortilla chips topped with veggies:
Shaikh says that crackers topped with vegetables are a favourite.
“The calorie count h depends on the serving but it would usually be less than 200 calories,“ she says. Sanghvi explains that tortilla chips with yoghurt-based homemade dip or even hummus is a good option.“You can have hummus with brown pita bread,“ she suggests.
Fruits, as a popsicle or kulfi:
To satisfy your sugar cravings, says Sanghvi, one can cut fruits like kiwis, strawberries and oranges into bite-sized pieces and mix them with coconut water. “Then freeze them like you would a popsicle and then have it a day later.“ Pal says she cuts fruits and mixes them with lemon syrup and honey in kulfi moulds. “I serve it as dessert when I have people over. One serving comes with less than 100 calories.“
Almonds, smoothies and protein shakes:
A glass of oats and strawberry smoothie can be anywhere between 150 to 180 calories says Patwardhan. Pal, who explains that she has a lot of protein as she exercises, says that she mixes whey protein with milk and honey and keeps it in the fridge. “It gets nice and creamy. I have it with oatmeal and nuts,“ she adds. Another option is to soak oats in yoghurt for ten minutes and have it with honey and almonds. However, experts caution that one must limit the consumption of nuts as they can add to your fat intake. “100 gms of good quality almonds have 700 to 800 calories. So ensure that you only have a handful of such nuts, with a couple of almonds and walnuts. They are a good midnight snack,“ says Patwardhan.
Anu Prabhakar

TOI2APR16

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