EGain weight after 8 pm. Isn’t this a common hint from almost everyone? The list goes on — don’t eat fruit before going to bed, eat a small but frequent meal to increase metabolism, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. These are decades-old guidelines often proposed by health professionals. Does science support these claims? Not likely. In my experience, most people miss eating important food groups just to follow the suggested timing.
Discover some of the most common food timing myths in the diet industry today.
If you eat late, you will get fat
At the beginning of the list, especially the most common, is a suggestion not to eat late into the night to avoid weight gain. Proponents of this theory give two reasons. People who eat late at night will eat more calories than usual and may contain higher calorie junk food than a healthy alternative. However, there is no link between these two possible suggestions and nighttime weight gain. Simply put, eating at night will not fatten you if your overall food intake is adapted to your daily calorie and key nutrient needs.
According to the National Institute of Medical Sciences, the human circadian rhythm or body clock tells you to sleep at night and not wake up or eat late. However, most studies that conclude that eating late at night gains weight are supported by animal studies. One example is a 2009 report showing that mice eaten at night gained more weight than mice eaten during the day.
Human studies do not support this theory. A study of 1,620 children found no significant differences in supper timing, energy intake, or weight gain. If you’re hungry after dinner, keep a light meal handy. Some great choices are carrot sticks with hummus, a handful of nuts, or slices of apple with nut butter.
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There is a “best” time to eat fruit
Fruits are usually recommended during the day and banned at night. There is no rational explanation behind this recommendation. In fact, experts say that before bedtime, avoid fat, spicy, and carbohydrate-rich foods, and include fruits such as bananas, kiwis, pineapples, and oranges for melatonin, a hormone that promotes quality sleep. We are proposing to increase the generation. An intervention study found that giving two kiwifruits to 24 participants 1 hour before sleep for 4 weeks increased total sleep time by 13.4% and improved sleep efficiency by 5.41%.
Fruits can be eaten at any time. However, the type and frequency of eating fruits varies from person to person.
Breakfast is essential to lose weight
This is probably the most common myth about meal timing. Breakfast kicks start the day, but can be skipped if you continue to fast intermittently or if you want to eat your first meal at lunch. A 2019 British Medical Journal study that reviewed existing literature concludes that a mandatory breakfast may not be a good strategy to ensure healthy weight loss. Andrew Brown, an obesity researcher at the University of Alabama, concludes his study by stating that the proposed effect of breakfast on obesity is only a sound, scientifically unsubstantiated theory.
A small amount of frequent meals can spike your metabolism
This myth is based on the heat effect (TEF) of food, which is defined as the energy required to digest, absorb and process nutrients. In general, TEF accounts for 10 percent of total caloric intake. Proponents of this theory believe that eating small, frequent meals leads to more calorie consumption by the TEF. However, TEF depends on the number of calories you consume during the same period, not on the number of meals you eat each day. For example, you can eat 2,000 calories in four meals by consuming 500 calories per meal, or you can divide it into two meals by eating 1,000 calories per meal. In both cases, the TEF will be 200 calories.
That said, eating small, frequent meals does help you stay full longer, but there is no evidence that your overall metabolism has improved.
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Carbohydrates eaten at night are stored as fat
This popular myth suggests that carbohydrates eaten at night are converted to fat. This is unbelievable and people have long trusted it. However, the nutritional value does not “change” after sunset. The origin of this claim is unknown. One possible reason behind this myth is that after 6 pm, metabolism slows down and carbohydrate-rich foods may be stored as fat. However, evidence suggests that while you sleep, your metabolism does not slow down, especially if you are regularly engaged in physical activity.
While you sleep, your body needs fuel and micronutrients to repair itself and support the process. The combination of protein and carbohydrates can be the best nutrient that muscles can get to repair themselves after intense physical activity. One study reported that people who ate 80% of their carbohydrates at night lost weight, improved body fat percentage, and reduced waist circumference. In addition, carbohydrates help you fall asleep faster.
Important point
Nutrition is personalized. Most concepts of food timing are not supported by scientific evidence. However, individual changes are possible to optimize your daily diet. Pay less attention to when you eat, and focus on eating versatile foods on a regular basis to maximize your profits, prevent undernourishment, and keep diet-related illnesses away.
Dr. Subhasree Ray is a PhD scholar (ketogenic diet) who is a diabetes educator and a clinical and public health dietitian. She tweets @DrSubhasree. The view is personal.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)
