The Best Late-Night Snack for Gut Health, Dietitian-Approved

When you’re up at night and cravings strike, making a nutritious choice can feel challenging. “Avoiding snacks that are high in refined sugars, processed foods, spicy foods or large portions of heavy, fatty meals is key to a restful sleep,” says Samantha DeVito, M.S., RD, CDN, a registered dietitian. And when you are keeping gut health in mind, there is one choice that checks all these boxes, plus it’s convenient to make and healthy for your gut. Meet our almost 5-star Fig-Newton Inspired Energy Balls. 

The fiber and protein in them can help you feel full longer, so you don’t wake up hungry during the night and feel satisfied in the morning. Fiber also acts as a prebiotic. This means it helps feed your good gut bacteria, which are essential for healthy digestion. In fact, an increasing amount of data demonstrates the importance of gut health in virtually every aspect of wellness.

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These tiny but mighty bites are nutrient-dense, delicious and easy to prepare. With just a few ingredients and fifteen minutes of prep (not including setting time), making these ahead of time is a great way to have an easy-to-grab snack you can enjoy late at night–the gut-friendly way. Here are all the reasons we love them so much!

What Makes Energy Bites a Great Choice for Gut Health?

Prebiotics

Your gut bacteria need to be fed to thrive—and that’s one of the many benefits of prebiotic fibers like those found in figs, dates and oats. You may know that it is helpful to take more probiotics to increase your good gut bacteria, but providing those bacteria with enough food (fiber) helps maintain optimal levels, which is key to long-term gut health.

Juliana Crimi, RD, M.H.Sc. notes that the best snacks for gut health include “prebiotics, probiotics and fiber, as these support the microbiome and digestion.” These food components work together, so it’s important to get enough of them each day.

Most Americans do not get enough fiber daily, and low fiber intake is associated with the development of chronic diseases like diabetes and colon cancer. Making these energy bites is one way to help you meet your fiber intake needs.

For adults, 22-34 grams of fiber per day is recommended. But it’s essential to work your way up to this intake level if you’re not used to eating too much fiber. Increasing your fiber intake too quickly could result in adverse effects such as bloating and stomach discomfort.

Snacks like energy bites contain just a few grams of fiber per serving, which is a great place to start when increasing your fiber intake. You can increase your intake by a few grams per week over several weeks and adjust it based on how your body responds. Drinking plenty of fluids will also help.

Protein

After this snack, you won’t go to bed feeling any hunger pangs. The almond butter and flax seeds in this recipe provide protein, which can help keep your blood sugar balanced overnight and prevent you from waking up feeling overly hungry.

Think protein is too heavy for a late-night snack? Think again. According to Amanda Godman, M.S., RD, CDN, “a combination of the macronutrients protein, fat and carbohydrates will help promote satiety.” Balance is key, and this recipe has it!

No Added Sugars 

Late-night snacking on sugary foods such as cookies or ice cream is not ideal for your gut health, notes Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD. That’s because excess sugar intake can damage the gut microbiome, adds Andrews. These energy bites have no added sugars but are naturally sweet thanks to the dates, figs and fruit juice. So, if you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love these. 

What to Look for in a Snack for Gut Health

When choosing a snack for gut health, dietitians recommend focusing on one that has at least two of the three macronutrients (carbs, protein and fat), plus gut-friendly components, such as fiber. DeVito suggests “opting for lighter, easily digestible and gut-friendly choices to keep your digestive system happy while you rest.” 

Here are some expert tips to keep in mind when searching for gut-friendly snacks: 

• Low or No Added Sugars: Godman suggests “avoiding high-sugar foods like candy late at night for several reasons. In large amounts, simple sugars have been correlated with decreased microbiome diversity.” A decrease in microbiome diversity means your gut health is weakened, which can contribute to negative health outcomes in the long term. Also, eating a lot of sugar at once late at night can disrupt your sleep by causing a blood sugar spike. Your best bet is to avoid sugary bites and make balanced choices.
• A Few Grams of Fiber Per Serving: While there is no set recommendation for the amount of fiber in a snack, aiming for 2-5 grams per serving should provide ample benefits for most people. “I recommend looking for a good amount of fiber, but looking at the specific kind of fiber. Foods with more resistant starch, like hummus, help produce butyrate–a short-chain fatty acid that helps gut bacteria diversity,” says Christina Lombardi, M.S., RD, FMNS.
• A Balance of Carbs, Protein and Healthy Fats: Carbohydrates are essential sources of energy for the body, particularly the brain and heart. Getting enough carbs in a snack is key to creating balance. Choosing complex carbohydrates, think oats, will help balance blood sugar and provide fiber. Healthy fats are essential for many functions in the body, and ensuring that the snack you choose has some protein and fat will keep you full longer than carbohydrates alone. Foods like nuts or nut butter, seeds and Greek yogurt can be great gut-healthy options for a late-night snack.

The Bottom Line

When hunger strikes at night, knowing what to eat can be tricky, especially if you’re looking to improve your gut health. But if you make a batch of our dietitian-approved Fig-Newton Inspired Energy Balls, you’ll always have a gut-friendly bite handy. Their combination of protein, fiber, healthy fats and no added sugars make them a great option to nourish your body and help it rest. As Bid Francisque, MPH, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian, recommends “Choose wisely, and let your body recharge, not wrestle.”