Best Late-Night Snack for Bone Health, Backed by Dietitians

Snacking late at night gets a bad rap, but if you like having something to nibble on before bed, we have good news for you. You don’t have to give up your bedtime snack. Noshing on a late-night snack can provide one last opportunity to fill in any nutrient gaps in your day. And since snacks make up as much as 20% of our daily total calorie intake, it’s worth optimizing that nighttime snacking session. The key is being smart with your snacking–which means choosing nutrient-dense ones that offer some protein, fiber or healthy fats.

For example, opting for a snack rich in nutrients like calcium or vitamin D can be a smart move for supporting bone health while also banishing any late-night munchies. If bone health hasn’t been on your radar, it might be worth considering. Research suggests that at least 43% of adults over the age of 50 have low bone mass, which can lead to osteoporosis. And it’s never too late to start eating for stronger bones. 

We asked dietitians to share the best snack to eat before bed for bone health, and they all agreed that this Cocoa-Chia Pudding with Raspberries was the one snack to add to your nighttime routine.

Why Cocoa-Chia Pudding is a Great Option

Rich in Bone-Building Minerals

Calcium is one of the primary building blocks for our bones, and is also necessary for other bodily functions, like proper nerve function and muscle contractions. The challenge is that our bodies can’t make calcium, so we need to get it from food, which means that getting adequate dietary calcium is a priority for strong bones. In the absence of dietary calcium, your body will leach it from your bones, making them weaker over time. Adding this chia pudding to your bedtime routine will help you maximize your calcium intake for the day since it provides an impressive one-third of your daily calcium needs. 

But calcium doesn’t work in isolation. It needs other bone-building partners, so simply eating calcium-rich foods will not give you the most bone-building benefits, says Caitlin Ogletree, M.S., RD, LD.

“Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are the main minerals that support bone strength throughout our lives,” says Laura M. Ali, M.S., RDN. “Calcium forms hard mineral crystals that give bones their strength, magnesium guides calcium into our bones, while phosphorus combines with calcium to form calcium-phosphate, creating a strong structure that helps bones resist breaking and supporting their strength.” 

This chia pudding is a good source of all three of these bone-strengthening minerals, which is what makes it such a winning choice for bone health. 

Provides Supporting Nutrients in Bone Health

Using a vitamin D-fortified milk is important, as vitamin D is also a key player in bone health and works with calcium and magnesium. “Vitamin D helps the gut to absorb calcium, while magnesium is a cofactor needed to activate the enzymes that convert vitamin D into its active form in the liver and kidney,” says Ogletree. 

The omega-3 fatty acids in chia seeds may also be helpful for strong bones. “Some observational research has shown people who consume higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids have lower rates of osteoporosis,” says Ali.

May Support Better Sleep

While the magnesium boost you’ll get from this chia pudding is good for your bones, this essential mineral also supports restful sleep. In fact, magnesium is a sleep-promoting multitasker as it helps relax your nervous system and muscles, regulates melatonin (a hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle), and helps lower the stress hormone cortisol. What’s more, many of us aren’t getting enough magnesium in our diet, but just one serving of this chia pudding provides 25% of your daily needs. 

Stacey Woodson, M.S., RDN, LDN, also points out that the balanced blend of carbs and protein in this chia pudding snack is ideal for better sleep. There’s evidence that blood sugar fluctuations can disrupt sleep, but a snack that offers protein or fiber (or both) can keep your blood sugar steady for deeper, more restorative sleep.

Easy and Delicious

Like any good snack recipe, this cocoa-chia pudding with raspberries is easy to make while also delivering on flavor. To make the pudding, whisk the almond milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, cocoa powder and vanilla in a bowl and refrigerate until thickened. Since this process can take some time to transform into a pudding consistency, it’s a good idea to make this chia pudding in the morning so it’s ready for you at bedtime. 

If you want more protein in this snack, use cow’s milk in place of almond milk, or add a dollop of plain Greek-style yogurt when you’re mixing it up. You could also replace the cocoa powder with a chocolate protein or collagen powder. 

As written, this recipe makes just one serving, but you can easily double or triple it to have pudding prepped for several bedtime snacks all at once. 

How to Build a Bone-Healthy Snack

If you want to add more bone-healthy snacks to your rotation, here are some tips for building one that is both satisfying and delicious. 

• Start with a calcium source. “Choose a dairy product or fortified dairy alternative to lay your foundation for strong bones,” says Woodson. Think Greek-style yogurt, fortified soy milk and cereal, cottage cheese, or even mozzarella. Once you’ve picked a high-calcium base, you can add on from there. 
• Include magnesium & phosphorus. Think of these minerals as calcium-helpers. Nuts and seeds are a great source of both of these minerals, but you can also get them from whole grains, eggs, dairy products and legumes.
• Add protein. Including some protein in your snack—like yogurt, a hard-boiled egg, nuts and seeds—is a smart move for bone health since protein provides the scaffolding for calcium and magnesium to build upon for stronger bones. 
• Keep the sugar low. Research suggests that higher sugar intakes increase your risk for osteoporosis, so try to pick snacks that are lower in added sugars. 
• Added antioxidants. Make the most of your bone-building snacks by adding something rich in antioxidants—like some fresh fruit, cut veggies, or nuts. Those antioxidants can help tamp down inflammation–a factor that can accelerate bone loss.

Our Expert Take

Keeping your bones strong into old age starts with the foods on your plate today. Your bedtime snack can provide a great opportunity to fill in any nutrient gaps from that day and build stronger bones at the same time. “You’re not just snacking, you’re investing in your bone health with every delicious bite,” says Woodson.

The one snack that checks all the boxes for bone health according to dietitians is Cocoa-Chia Pudding with Raspberries. This snack not only offers a variety of nutrients that support bone health, but those that support better sleep too—which is a win-win all the way around.