It is said that one should have three meals a day. But does this extra late-night snack affect your health? And how can you eat a healthy late-night snack?
Who is suitable for late-night snacks?
A nutritionist explains that late-night snacks are not absolutely beneficial or harmful; it depends on the individual. First, you need to understand if you are suitable for eating late-night snacks.
For children in their developmental stage or students under great academic pressure, late-night snacks are not only beneficial for growth and development but can also improve learning efficiency and prevent insufficient intake of nutrients;
Certain working professionals who need to stay up late can also have a late-night snack to maintain abundant physical energy and stamina;
People prone to hypoglycemia, diabetics, the elderly, and those with poor stomach function need to follow the principle of eating smaller, more frequent meals, and having a late-night snack can also be beneficial to their health;
Cancer patients often suffer from malnutrition, so to ensure their nutritional needs, a late-night meal is also a very good method.
The drawbacks of improper late-night snacking
Improper late-night snacking can also have its drawbacks, such as causing obesity, burdening the stomach, and possibly causing insomnia. If the late-night food is high in calories or cholesterol, it can also increase the incidence of coronary heart disease or diabetes.
How to eat a healthy late-night snack
Many people eat late-night snacks in the summer. Some do so because of work, having to eat very late; others are "night owls" who simply enjoy eating "this bite" at night. Whether out of necessity or by choice, when you have to eat a late-night snack, which types are healthy and which are not? And how can you eat to ensure it's healthy? A nutritionist has provided some comments on some classic late-night snacks that are popular among Tianjin residents nowadays.
[Simple Version Late-Night Snack] Street Food Stalls
Signature Food: Jianbing Guozi (Chinese Savory Crepe)
Take the Jianbing Guozi that people often eat as an example. A regular set of Jianbing Guozi has a total energy of about 315 kcal, containing 15g of protein, 18g of fat, and 23g of carbohydrates, accounting for 18.8%, 51.4%, and 29.8% of the total energy, respectively. The recommended proportion of the three major nutrients we usually suggest is 15% protein, 25% fat, and 60% carbohydrates. Therefore, the proportion of fat in Jianbing Guozi far exceeds the recommended intake. Fried foods are not easy to digest, are quite greasy, and can easily cause stomach problems; fried foods are also high in calories and contain high levels of oil and oxidants, and frequent consumption can easily lead to obesity, making them a dangerous food for causing hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease. In the process of frying, a large amount of carcinogens will also be produced. Research shows that people who often eat fried food have a much higher incidence of certain cancers than those who do not eat or rarely eat fried food. So, if possible, try not to choose this type of food as a late-night snack.
[Budget Version Late-Night Snack] Food Stalls
Signature Food: Ma Sha (Roadside Casserole), Grilled Skewers
On average, the roadside casserole we usually eat has a total energy of about 340 kcal, containing about 12g of protein, 3.6g of fat, and 64.6g of carbohydrates, accounting for 14.2%, 9.5%, and 76.3% of the total energy, respectively. Grilled skewers, on the other hand, contain a high amount of oil, and this type of barbecue is also a popular late-night snack. A recent study claimed that eating barbecue is as toxic as smoking; one grilled chicken leg is equivalent to the toxicity of 60 cigarettes. Moreover, women who often eat barbecue have twice the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do not eat barbecue foods. When meat is grilled directly at high temperatures, a carcinogen called benzopyrene is produced. If such barbecue foods are often consumed, carcinogens will accumulate in the body, posing a risk of inducing stomach and colon cancer. At the same time, there is another carcinogen in barbecue food—nitrosamines. If marinated meat skewers are left for too long, nitrosamines are easily produced. These foods are high in fat and calories, which can easily lead to "modern diseases" such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. After being grilled, the nature of the food becomes dry and hot. Coupled with seasonings like cumin, pepper, and chili, which are all "hot" ingredients, they are very spicy and stimulating. This greatly stimulates gastrointestinal motility and the secretion of digestive juices, which may damage the digestive tract mucosa. Therefore, this type of late-night snack is also not recommended for frequent consumption.
[Upgraded Version Late-Night Snack] Chinese and Western Simple Meals
Signature Food: Hamburgers, Ramen, Rice Bowls
As a fast-food item, hamburgers have been very popular in recent years, especially among children and teenagers. Every 100g of a hamburger has a total energy of about 470 kcal, containing 23g of protein, 16g of fat, and 58g of carbohydrates, accounting for 31.1%, 19.5%, and 49.4% of the total energy, respectively. A regular serving of ramen or a rice bowl also has an energy of about 350-450 kcal. A nutritionist believes that the calories for a late-night snack should be controlled around 200 kcal; too many calories can easily lead to obesity. Hamburgers contain relatively high amounts of oil and oxidants, and if consumed frequently, they are a risk factor for causing hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease. Therefore, the frequency of choosing this type of late-night snack should not be too high.