Eat This to Curb Late-Night Cravings

By Lexi Petronis, Glamour magazine

Do you ever find yourself hungry at night, way after dinner (but way, way before breakfast)? Sometimes, when the house is quiet and I feel like I'm finally able to breathe after another crazy day, the goodies in the kitchen start calling. But some researchers think they may have discovered the perfect food to eat that'll keep those munchies at bay...

Two studies recently published in the journal Obesity found that including lean protein--such as lean pork--in each of three meals throughout the day can stave off cravings at night.

The research centered on overweight people who were trying to lose weight. Some of them were following a higher protein diet (25% of total calories from lean meats and eggs) or a either a normal protein diet (14% of total calories from protein). Each diet had about the same amount of calories and fat. Those who ate more protein reported feeling fuller--especially at night.

"Our research shows that eating about a quarter of one's daily calories as lean pork and other high quality proteins three times a day is a powerful dietary weapon for people seeking weight loss," said study lead Dr. Heather Leidy.

Very interesting! What foods do you eat to keep late-night munchies at bay? Do you ever crave protein?

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Photo Credit: Condé Nast Digital Studio