With nutrition, as with so many other things, timing matters, and for most Americans, our timing could use some adjustment. For most of us, the biggest, most calorific and most nutritious meal is the last meal of the day. That, according to an article in the Washington Post, is exactly the wrong way to take nutrition. How do we know?
One study cited by the Post looked at data from nine clinical studies and found that people to took in most of their calories earlier in the day lost more weight that those who ate more later in the day and had greater improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity. Another study found that people who ate meals later reported feeling hungrier that those who ate early meals (dinner at 4 pm), largely because eating later boosted levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite and lowered levels of leptin, a hormone that causes satiety. Wait there’s more: people who eat later (dinner at 10 pm) have been shown to burn less fat and have higher blood sugar levels than those who eat early (dinner at 6 pm). You get the picture, but what to do? Nutrition experts quoted by the Post recommend moving our larger meals to breakfast and/or lunch, and when it comes to dinner, take it easy and early. Read more in the Post.