With the emerging fad for fitness and weight management, there are different suggestions about the best time to eat to be at the peak of health. But the eating schedule depends on many factors like work hours, appetite level, medications, a time when your family and friends can share the meal with you, etc.
Sticking to an eating time schedule will be challenging owing to the unstable nature of day-to-day life. It does not mean that the time of eating does not matter. The time we eat and the interval between each meal do have a profound impact on our health. Choosing the best time to eat depends on your lifestyle and can make a lot of difference to the way you feel healthwise.
The Impact of the Best Time to Eat
The time we eat matters as much as what we eat. A lot of emphasis is given time and again on the way to a healthy life versus diet. The process of digesting food varies with the time of the day, so it is imperative to plan your meal time accordingly.
The variations in the digestive process depend a lot on the circadian rhythm, i.e. the sleep-wake cycle decided by our body clock. It is normally mistaken that the circadian rhythm affects only our fatigue levels. But it is rarely understood that the circadian rhythm influences most of our physical and mental processes as well as eating and digestion. Planning mealtime should be given top priority because the circadian rhythm and the best time to eat constantly interact.
However, studies have revealed connections between circadian rhythm, mealtimes, weight status, and even insulin resistance to be an indication of metabolic disorders, including diabetes and obesity. Disruptions in circadian rhythm that happen due to conditions like jet lag, late nights, working night shifts, etc. enhance the risk of developing metabolic conditions.
Tips on the Best Time to Eat
The ideal eating time benefits your health in ways such as helping with weight management, increasing energy, regulating circadian rhythm, etc. However, sticking to a fixed mealtime is impractical considering the fluid nature of life. So, the one-size-fits-all approach to planning the meal schedule does not work. There is no universally suitable mealtime because the response of the circadian rhythm to mealtime is also linked to individual genetics.
You should implement the trial and error method to identify the best time to eat that suits your body constitution and lifestyle. Here is a list of guidelines to help schedule your meals:
1. Scheduling Your Breakfast
Scientists are still debating the importance of timing breakfast. This, again, is an individual choice. Some prefer to have breakfast immediately after waking up. While some would prefer to have breakfast when they have the appetite for it. Both preferences have their own advantages.
However, skipping breakfast is not a good idea. You may end up consuming more calories at lunch and bingeing on foods that are not nutritious during the rest of the day. If you are on a weight loss journey, then consuming more calories will stimulate weight gain. Furthermore, limiting your eating window to less than 12 hours will enhance your overall metabolic health while aiding you to achieve your weight loss goal faster.
Intermittent fasting, which has gained a lot of popularity in recent times, is nothing but time-restricted eating, i.e. having a small window of time during the day for meals.
2. Scheduling Your Lunch
Besides having breakfast, having lunch earlier in the day will help manage weight. Scheduling your lunch time is crucial but you should also be aware that individual genetic variables also play an important role. An early lunch will help maintain a healthy microbiome, that is, the group of bacteria in your gut that influences your overall health and well-being.
Breakfast and lunch should contain the majority of the recommended daily calories in order to maintain metabolic health and control weight.
3. Scheduling Your Dinner
The best dinner time is earlier in the evening or at least 2 hours before bedtime. For better health, you should also schedule a light dinner before bed. Studies have indicated that adults who ate dinner after midnight were susceptible to dyslipidemia which is characterised by elevated blood fat levels and is a risk factor for chronic disease.
Late dinner time is also linked to body fat modifications, an increase in weight, and the metabolism of sugar. It also influences the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone, which starts towards evening when the light starts fading. Melatonin controls the sleep-wake cycle and any disruption in the release of melatonin can cause sleep issues which will directly affect your cognitive performance.
Once the production of melatonin begins, the release of insulin reduces which affects glucose metabolism. Hence, timing your dinner late in the evening when the release of melatonin begins will have an adverse effect on your health and may also pose a risk of developing chronic diseases.
The Best Time to Eat Fruits
Fruits are a good source of essential vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants, all of which are required for overall well-being. It is just not adequate to incorporate fruits into your diet but you should also be aware of the best time to eat fruits to derive optimum benefits.
1. As Soon as You Wake Up
Research has shown that the best time to eat fruits is in the morning when your body has to kickstart after resting through the night. The reason is that fruits contain a high amount of fructose. Fruits are easily digestible and broken down into essential nutrients, which makes it the best reason to have fruits right before you need the energy to begin your activities.
It is recommended to eat fruits on an empty stomach to derive optimum benefits. With the highest concentration of minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients available, they aid in detoxification and weight loss.
You can also include dry fruits like almonds and walnuts in your morning breakfast. The best time to eat dry fruits is early in the morning when your body needs to start fresh and healthy. Dry fruits help you proceed with your daily routine peacefully.
2. Between Meals
If you are one of those who are accustomed to snacking in between meals, then the best time to eat fruits for you is in between meals. This is when your body digests meals and secretes several enzymes to assimilate fruits. They keep you full for a long time and reduce hunger pangs between meals. Fruits on a platter with a topping of nuts and seeds make a delicious snack.
Likewise, the best time to eat dry fruits is between meals as they will provide energy to continue with your day-to-day activities and will keep you satiated.
Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Meal
If you are following a fitness routine, then you need precise meal timing. Having a meal 2 hours before a workout will fuel your muscles. Providing ample time for the food to digest is crucial before starting a high-intensity workout. Some individuals who indulge in intense workouts like aerobics perform better in the early morning when they are in a state of fasting.
Eating a post-workout meal within two hours of concluding an activity will help you refill your energy reserves and repair any muscle damage that may have been caused by the exertion. Nevertheless, a lot depends on the nature of exercise and the health of an individual.
Conclusion
Planning your meal schedule according to the best time that suits your lifestyle is very essential. Balancing your calorie intake is equally important. It is better if the majority of your calories are included in meals that you have earlier in the day. Limiting calorie intake in the latter part of the day reduces the risk of developing certain metabolic disease risk factors like diabetes and obesity.
