The night is a long time to get by without the familiar growl in the stomach. At home, you might dig into the refrigerator for the clandestine midnight snack but what about the workplace? With more people working night shifts, nocturnal nutrition is fast becoming an issue. Maintaining a healthy diet schedule can be challenging when your natural body cycle is turned upside down, working odd hours and rotating shifts.

 

To maintain stamina, workers eat between meals but depending on the tidbits, snacking outside one's structured meal schedules can prove to be healthy or harmful. According to a recent study conducted by a snack-manufacturing company, 85 per cent of the Indian working population consumes at least one snack a day. So how does one ensure healthy snacking, especially at midnight?

 

"Snacks if packed with nutrients can supply our bodies with energy." Also "during odd hours, they can fill your nutritional gaps if you make the right choice." According to doctors, eating after 9 p.m. can be harmful to the body as the metabolism interferes with the body's circadian rhythms and results in gastric problems. But there's little choice for those working the graveyard shift. Only, instead of random snacking, a snack schedule needs to be worked out for late hours.
 

The plan should include what one will eat, how much and the portion as well. A very important thing people tend to forget is that snacks should supplement structured meals, not replace them. Besides, snacks need to be timed between food and with each other so they don't interfere with the structured meals. "Snacks consumed during odd hours should be the ones that contribute to one's calorie count and nutritional needs and add variety to one's diet,"  The most important factor is to choose the right kind of midnight snack because the human body can only take certain ingredients and fibre at night. Nutritionist Rupali Dutta says what might help is a larder of sorts at office so that the munching between meals is more organised.

 

Here are some choices you need to make

 

Bhelpuri, NOT samosa, patty

 

Dhokla, Khakhra (available in all supermarkets in different sizes and flavours), NOT burgers

 

Toasted namkeen, diet mixtures, NOT pakoras

 

Veg bean salads and pastas, NOT spring rolls, potato chips

 

Chopped fruits, NOT egg bhurji, cheese bhurji

 

Low-fat frozen dessert, NOT ice cream

 

Fat-free biscuits, fruit bars, NOT cakes

 

Lime water, bottled coconut water, hot lemon tea, NOT tea or coffee

 

Fruit juice, NOT soft drinks

 

Fruit smoothies, NOT milk shakes