Snooze Snack

Sleep for some of us comes all too easily and for many,it’s all about tossing and turning,obsessing over a hundred worries! With passage of time and many wakeful nights,insomniacs get accustomed to sleeping pills for inducing sleep. Sleeping pills effectively numb the brain enabling a sound sleep but leave you groggy during the day. Over time you need to keep increasing its dosage.

Insomnia to me was an age related disorder. It was for those whose sleep patterns have changed and their kidneys and livers may be less efficient as they age. Lately I find youngsters being treated for the same. Poor grades at school and they lose sleep. Many drugs can affect the ratio of the various stages of sleep,thus affecting the overall quality of sleep. Poor sleep can lead to accumulation of ‘sleep debt’. This leads to improper functioning of the brain,you lose memory and alertness. Did you know by getting enough sleep you can maintain a healthy weight? Inadequate sleep slows down the metabolism and forces the body to hold onto fat. You might feel convinced to eat to get instant energy and to overcome sluggishness due to lack of sleep. Foods have the power to affect our sleep. What you eat during the day is what you will be at sleep time. Xanthine in tea,caffeine in coffee and in aerated drinks increase nervous stimulation which prevents the natural rhythm of sleep induction. However,good news is that there are many other foods that are rich in tryptophan,an amino acid that helps in improving an inducing sleep. Tryptophan increases the availability of the feel good hormone,serotonin which elevates the mood and lulls us into restful sleep. A natural and gently absorbed amino acid like tryptophan is a safer alternative than the strong hypnotic sleep inducing drugs.

Try eating an evening snack,dinner or a bedtime snack that combines a concentrated dietary source of tryptophan with a healthy carbohydrate-rich food. Here is a list of some healthy foods that are naturally rich in tryptophan. Beans,whole grains,including wheat and rice,lentils,chickpeas,hazelnuts,peanuts,eggs,sunflower seeds,miso or fermented soy beans,milk and milk products.

HUMMUS WITH PITA BREAD
Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
* 1can chickpeas,undrained
* 1 to 2 cloves garlic,peeled
* 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley sprigs
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1tablespoon olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 4 rounds pita bread
* 2 medium tomatoes,thinly sliced
* 1 medium cucumber,sliced
* 1cup alfalfa sprouts,rinsed and drained
* 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Method:
Toast sesame seeds in small non-stick skillet over medium heat until lightly browned,stirring frequently. Remove from skillet and cool. Drain chickpeas; reserve liquid. Place garlic in food processor. Process until minced. Add chickpeas,parsley,lemon juice,olive oil and pepper. Process until almost smooth,scraping sides of bowl once. If mixture is very thick,add 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved chickpea liquid. Pour hummus into medium bowl. Stir in sesame seeds. Cut pita breads in half. Spread about 3 tablespoons hummus in each pita bread half. Divide tomatoes,cucumber slices and alfalfa sprouts evenly among pita breads. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

(The writer is a city-based food and diet consultant who can be contacted at adda.mehrotra@gmail.com)