Choosing a Light Late-Night Bowl with Less Guilt
On nights when you are too hungry to sleep, forcing yourself to hold out can lead you to eat something even bigger. The key to a less guilt-inducing late-night snack is choosing something low in calories but high in fullness. Rather than greasy, dry foods, a warm, brothy bowl with protein can fill you up even in a small portion.
| Section | Key summary |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Main context in brief |
| The 3 Conditions for a Late-Night Snack | First, make it warm |
| These Options Are Good Too | A bowl of clear soup with egg and tofu (the recipe above) |
| Timing and Storage | Short key point |
The 3 Conditions for a Late-Night Snack
First, make it warm. Compared with cold food, warm broth sends fullness signals faster, so you can feel satisfied with less. Second, include protein. Eggs, tofu, or chicken breast help keep your stomach settled so you do not wake up again before dawn. Third, eat slowly. Even with the same amount, do not gulp it down; spoon it over more than 5 minutes so your brain recognizes that you have eaten enough.
These Options Are Good Too
- A bowl of clear soup with egg and tofu (the recipe above)
- Unsweetened Greek yogurt 100g + a handful of berries for something cold but filling
- Steam 1 small potato or sweet potato and eat it slowly (more filling than cold rice)
- Warm milk 200ml with a small amount of cereal as a drinkable late-night snack
Timing and Storage
Finish late-night snacks at least 1 hour before bed, and keep the amount to half or less of your usual meal. Going straight to sleep while lying down can make your stomach feel heavy, so it is better to sit upright for 20 to 30 minutes after eating. If you cook soup in one batch, cool it, and refrigerate it in single servings, you can reheat it the next day. Soup containing tofu should be consumed within 2 days in the refrigerator. If kept longer, the tofu becomes crumbly and the broth loses flavor.