20 Healthy Foods For Dinner

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Dinner is the meal that we most look forward to. Lunches during the weekdays are usually rushed as we eat in between our busy work schedules. Dinner is a meal at which we are relaxed and thus, we tend to eat more. You must realise that your metabolic rate slows down at night. So, it is important to eat healthy foods for dinner.

If you choose to have healthy foods for dinner to lose weight, you will drop the pounds quickly. All types of food cannot be eaten at night. For example, dinner is the worst time to have desserts because your body is least prepared to metabolise fats at night. But don't lose heart; you can have a healthy diet for dinner that has exciting food options. All you have to do is plan your meals well.

20 FOODS TO AVOID AT NIGHT

In order to have a healthy diet for dinner, exclude any food item that is difficult to digest. You wouldn't want to wake up at night with acidity or indigestion. Also, you need to keep a count of calories while you chose healthy foods for dinner to lose weight. Have lots of proteins and green veggies to start with. Cut down on the carbs and eat only good fats.

Here are some the best foods to eat at night or during dinner time.

Lettuce

Lettuce adds bulk to your meal. Begin your dinner with a green salad that includes leafy greens like lettuce. They have almost zero calories.

Clear Soups

Soups are healthy and they fill you up. But stay away from thick soups. Have clear soups made of different vegetables, small portions of meat or fish.

Lean Meat

Lean portions of meat are healthy foods for dinner to lose weight. Prefer white meat over red meat for dinner. You need proteins of meat in your last meal of the day.

Bell Peppers

It always helps to have some healthy antioxidants in your food. Bell peppers are very low in calories. Plus, they are healthier spices than normal chillies or pepper.

Green Beans

Green beans can either be tossed into salads or be included in your curries. Beans give you roughage as well as keep the calorie count low.

Tofu

Tofu is a great dinner option for vegetarians. Tofu gives you the required protein for your dinner but adds no extra fat to your food.

Broccoli

Add as many green vegetables as you can in your dinner. Your fat metabolism slows down during the night. Broccoli with its low calorie count and plenty of antioxidants will be a very healthy food to have at night.

Pulses

If you are having an Indian meal, you must include dals in your dinner menu. Pulses can also be added in the form of dried beans and grams. They contribute the vegan proteins to your diet.

Low Fat Cheese

Fats are an essential part of any meal. So while you count calories, you must get some fats into your dinner as well. Low fat cheese gives you some fats and also calcium to strengthen your bones. The taste it adds to your food is a bonus.

Onions

Onions are not just for taste. Onions contain selenium that helps you to sleep well at night. Besides, you can hardly imagine a tasty dinner without onions.

Whole Grains

Whole grains like millet, jowar and corn add fibre to your diet. These are healthy ways of adding carbohydrates to your dinner menu.

Grilled Fish

Fish has loads of good fats in the form of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish also gives you good portions of lean proteins. But have fish boiled, braised or grilled. Frying destroys the nutrients in fish.

Dalia

Dalia is basically a porridge made out of broken pieces of wheat. It helps you lose weight and you can get lots of fibre from this dish.

Low Fat Yoghurt

You must ideally avoid dairy products in your dinner because they tend to make you gassy. But curd is an exception because the probiotic bacteria in curd help you to digest your food.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are the best food for dinner. They have proteins, Vitamin D and is an aphrodisiac. You can also add mushrooms to soups, grills and boiled platters.

Prawns

Prawns are excellent sources of tryptophan that help to induce sleep. Prawns are usually not very high in calories.

Brown Rice

Brown rice is a great way to get fibrous carbohydrates into your meal. Besides, brown rice is heavy and thus makes you sleepy. The best time to have brown rice is in the night.

Kale

Kale is a green leafy vegetable that can be cooked with meat or fish. Kale has lots of calcium and helps to induce sleep.

Boiled/Grilled Chicken

Boiled chicken can be tossed into your salads, soups or even your platters. Grilled chicken is protein rich and can be very tasty. Just make sure you do not add heavy and fattening sauces to the chicken.

Dark Cocoa

Dark and unsweetened cocoa is a very good antioxidant. You can have main cocoa mixed in water or have hot chocolate with milk. Don't add sugar to your cocoa or else it becomes fattening.