The science behind late-night food cravings and how to tackle them

Have you ever found yourself eating healthy and a nutrient-rich diet throughout the day and then falling prey to your junk food cravings late in the night?

Well, late-night food cravings have got the best of us. There are scientifically proven reasons behind the cravings and you too can tackle those cravings after identifying the associated reasons.

Read on to know why you crave food late in the night along with healthy swaps of junk food that you can eat instead of opting for fried and sugary snacks.

If you do not provide optimum nutrition to your body during the day, it will crave food during the night. If your diet is low in protein, then you will definitely have hunger pangs by the end of the day. In order to tackle it, you must follow a proper diet during the day. Have a nutritious and filling breakfast followed by a balanced lunch and then finally a light dinner. Another major culprit behind late-night food cravings is boredom. Watching a movie or a series with friends or family? Grab a bag of chips, along with some pizza and cold drinks to go with it. Identify instances where you crave junk food even after having your meal and shut down those urges then and there.

Stress is one of the main reasons behind binging on unhealthy food during late hours. Eating either deep-fried or sugar-packed foods provides comfort and helps in subsiding the stress. A study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that late-night snacking was positively associated with emotional eating and stress. The study concluded that individuals who engage in late-night snacking may be using food to cope with stress and negative emotions.

Don’t have a proper sleep routine? Then you will most likely find yourself craving junk food at night. Sleep deprivation too is a contributing factor, because when the body is tired, it releases cortisol, a stress hormone that can lead to cravings for sugary or fatty foods. A study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that sleep deprivation can lead to an increase in the hunger hormone ghrelin and a decrease in the hormone leptin, which signals fullness. This hormonal imbalance can result in increased hunger and cravings for high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods.

Here are healthy swaps you can make in order to switch your food choices to healthier ones. Instead of fried potato chips, you can opt for baked ragi chips, jowar puffs, roasted makhana and even popcorn. Instead of chocolate or cake, opt for apples with peanut butter, jaggery cookies, fruit yogurt and even sugar-free dark chocolate. Instead of soda or cold drinks, opt for lemonade or fresh fruit juice.