Late-night snacking, although not proven to be worse for you than other snack times, can cause weight gain if you don't build it into your daily calorie budget. As far as snacks go, fat-free yogurt -- in reasonable portion sizes, of course -- is one of the better options out there. A doctor or dietician is the best source of information for your particular situation.
Reasons for Snacking
Many people believe that late-night snacking is more likely to promote weight gain than snacks eaten at other times. That's a myth, according to the American Dietetic Association, but eating at night can still be problematic if you do it for reasons other than hunger. You might be eating before bed out of habit or boredom, not because your body is craving extra nutrition.
Added Sugar
If you buy pre-flavored yogurt, watch out for the sugar content. Many yogurts, even the low-fat and fat-free varieties, have added sugar -- in addition to lactose, a naturally occurring milk sugar -- to enhance the flavor. These extra calories can make your yogurt less healthy than it seems. Look for "no sugar added" yogurts, which might contain artificial sweeteners, or buy plain/unflavored yogurt and add your own berries, honey or other toppings.
Digestion
Some people experience gas or other digestive problems after eating dairy products. If this is a problem for you, you might want to avoid eating yogurt late at night. On the other hand, you might find yogurt easier to digest than other dairy products thanks to the live bacteria it contains. If gas and digestion problems are an issue for you, keep a food diary to help determine the triggers or see a doctor; if not, eating yogurt at night shouldn't be a problem.
Tips
Eating dinner later and/or going to bed earlier can curb your desire for a late-night snack. If you're truly hungry in the late evening, try skipping dessert at dinnertime and make the yogurt your "dessert" instead to save calories. However, if your weight is not an issue and you generally eat well, indulging in fat-free yogurt in the evening shouldn't cause you any problems.
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