Nighttime eating is thought to derail any weight-loss plan. We’re told to give our bodies a few hours to digest dinner and work off some of those calories before we sleep. But Bob Carrara, diabetes educator at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Illinois, is among the experts who are taking a fresh look at this rule.

Carrara says it’s more important to choose healthy and satisfying snacks than to refrain from late-night snacking altogether. He believes that the right snacks can improve sleep quality, build muscle and, counter-intuitively, even promote weight loss. Light snacking also may help you control blood glucose levels overnight. Eight 100- to 200-calorie snacks that make Carrarra’s approved list are:

• 1/8 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds with a 4-ounce apple

• 1 slice whole wheat bread and 1 tablespoon almond butter

• ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt and ½ cup fresh blueberries

• 5-ounce pear and 20 dry roasted pistachios

• 1 ounce of black bean tortilla chips and ½ cup salsa

• ½ whole wheat English muffin spread with ¼ of an avocado

• 5-ounce banana with 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter

• 3 cups raw red bell pepper slices and ¼ cup of hummus

“These tasty snacks are a combination of healthy carbohydrate, protein and fat,” Carrara says.