The #1 Snack to Buy at Trader Joe’s for Better Sleep, According to a Dietitian

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a third of American adults say they get less sleep than is recommended. Busy bees can quickly brag about how little sleep they need; however, it is recommended that adults get 7 hours of sleep per night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why is it so hard to get regular rest? It could be stress, health conditions, overloading on highly caffeinated drinks, or even binge shows that can keep people up at night. Some may view sleep as inferior to healthy eating and exercise, but the truth is, getting enough sleep is just as important as other parts of your wellness routine.

According to the CDC, routinely skimping on deep sleep could increase the likelihood of conditions including mental health issues, heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. While multiple factors play a role in catching enough Zs, your nutrition is essential. What you eat can help or hurt your sleep, so it’s vital to stock up on sleep-promoting snacks. Popular stores like Trader Joe’s offer several selections of snacks that can help you sleep.

What to look for in a bedtime snack

When considering snacks, salty, crunchy, or sweet treats may be top of mind. While some may incorrectly view snacking as obstacles to weight loss, nutrient-dense snacks can help stabilize blood sugar levels between meals, keep hunger at bay, fill in nutritional gaps to support a healthy way of healthy life and even your weight loss goals. Plus, snacks can also guide you toward a more restful night’s sleep.

To choose the best bedtime snacks, your safest bet is to aim for nutrients that improve sleep like melatonin. But try not to go for just any source of melatonin, but one that contains other essential nutrients for more health benefits. Dietary fiber is a crucial nutrient to help keep you full, as going to bed with a rumbling stomach could make it difficult to fall asleep, so selecting a high fiber snack it could be a good idea. A 2022 review on cure discusses chrononutrition, a nutritional approach that studies how food intake affects sleep-wake cycles. best foods for sleep it can be high in protein and antioxidants, and with a low glycemic index (a measure of a food’s impact on blood sugar levels) it can lead to positive sleep outcomes.

The best snack at Trader Joe’s for better sleep

Getting better sleep isn’t just about logging more hours, it’s also about sleep quality. In other words, your body requires a certain amount of sleep as well as good restful sleep. There’s a snack at Trader Joe’s that can help promote a better night’s sleep in your life.

Trader Joe’s Dried, Roasted and Salted Pistachios They are the best bedtime snack in this supermarket for many reasons. Here’s why these tasty shell-less snacks top the list.

They are powerful in melatonin

Melatonin is a sleep promoting hormone made by your brain. Melatonin levels rise when you’re in the dark, and one of its main jobs is to control your circadian rhythm, according to a 2018 review in BMC Medicine. Plants also carry varying levels of melatonin, which makes foods like nuts, grains, fruit, and cereal sources. According to a 2020 review in Neurology, the body’s melatonin production declines as you age, so eating foods rich in melatonin helps maintain healthy levels and ensures good sleep. Pistachios are among the nuts with the highest melatonin content, so consider picking up a bag on your next Trader Joe’s run.

They are packed with plant-based protein

where there is protein, there are amino acids—The building blocks of protein. Pistachios contain all nine essential amino acids, including tryptophan. According to the 2022 review mentioned above, your body uses tryptophan to make serotonin, a hormone known to help you sleep better. That being said, serotonin plays a vital role in your sleep-wake cycle. Also, low tryptophan levels are related to wakefulness, and it is best to achieve sufficient levels with pistachios. Through a unique pathway, your body relies on tryptophan to produce melatonin, according to a 2020 study in BBA Biomembranes. You’ll find 6 grams of protein in a quarter cup of shelled walnuts.

Help balance blood sugar levels

Pistachios are a low-glycemic food, so they don’t spike blood sugar levels quickly thanks to their high protein, fiber, and carbohydrate content. According to the 2022 review, some studies have found associations between high-glycemic foods (think white rice and pasta) and poor sleep onset and quality. It helps to note that the studies referenced were older; therefore, more studies are needed on how low-glycemic foods may benefit sleep habits. Better blood sugar balance It can help prevent heart disease and metabolism. These conditions are rampant in the US, so snacking on pistachios as part of a healthy diet can be critical to preventative health. Who knew snacks before bed? could support your metabolism and sleep?

They have ample antioxidants.

Pistachios contain an impressive array of vitamins and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus and calcium, according to the USDA. Another reason to eat pistachios in your bedtime routine is that they are packed with bioactive compounds with antioxidant functions. Flavonols, isoflavones, and anthocyanins are just a few of these antioxidants in pistachios, according to a 2021 review in Floors. The real question is, how do antioxidants improve your sleep schedule?

Studies suggest that tart cherries, a food rich in antioxidants, may help reduce oxidative stress and boost anti-inflammatory processes that could improve sleep. Although not specifically studied for sleep, pistachios may also support increased sleep. Because sleep and circadian rhythms help regulate markers of inflammation, lack of sleep can lead to inflammation, according to a 2020 study in Frontiers in Neurology.

The bottom line

Pistachios are nutrient-dense, plant-based snacks that offer an excellent array of nutrients to support overall health. Between their melatonin, vegetable protein, fiber and antioxidants, they can be an ideal complement walnut to eat every day to support health and sleep. And if getting a good night’s sleep has been crazy, tasty protein bites can help you drift off to sleep. Trader Joe’s Salted Roasted and Dried Pistachios have a long shelf life and can be enjoyed straight out of the bag. If you have a medical need to follow a low-salt or low-sodium diet, check with your local Trader Joe’s for potential unsalted pistachio options.