Have you ever heard that eating early could be good for losing weight? Well, some research supports this theory, as well as others related to chrononutrition.
In the body there is a biological clock that can determine the behavior of the human body against ingested food. In this sense, a nutrient consumed during the day is not processed in the same way as at night. The timing of meals can determine the state of health.
For this reason, we are going to give you a series of basic tips to avoid mistakes at this point, optimize the time at which each intake is made and improve digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
Advancing meal times promotes weight loss
According to a study published in the journal Nutrients , advancing lunch and dinner times reduces the risk of developing obesity and metabolic syndrome. In the research, various population groups that ate at different times were studied; it was found that those who ate their midday meal before 1 a.m. were healthier and slimmer.
The same thing happened in the case of dinner. That the last intake takes place just before sunset is associated with a better state of health . However, this is not always possible; It depends a lot on the country and the time of year. Even so, not consuming food after 9 at night is beneficial for the body.
In any case, this commented effect does not occur in everyone , but is characteristic of people who have a polymorphism at the genetic level at a certain point in their DNA. It is very difficult to distinguish who belongs to this group and who does not, but it is estimated that 50% of the population benefits from having lunch and dinner early.
Nutrients are not assimilated the same at night
We have commented that advancing meal times is positive for health, but it is also important to avoid eating at night. Once the sun goes down, the body loses its ability to process carbohydrates and becomes more sensitive to them.
In this way, and according to a study published in Chronobiology International , avoiding eating at night could reduce the risk of developing obesity and metabolic pathologies. However, the body accepts proteins and fats better than carbohydrates during this period.
At night, simple sugars are especially harmful, since they are capable of altering blood glucose and hormonal production, thus generating a decisive impact on the physiology of the organism. Only in specific cases, such as athletes, a high consumption of carbohydrates during the night is advised.
How to use meal timing to gain muscle?
The timing of meals not only influences health, but can also determine muscle gains . In this sense, the consumption of a casein supplement or a significant portion of protein prior to sleep can improve endogenous protein synthesis, according to research published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport .
This effect makes it easier for the athlete to increase muscle mass, as well as improve recovery. Therefore, the timing of meals can also be decisive in the context of elite sport.
You have to eat well and at the right time
As you have seen, it is essential to respect the proper feeding schedules. Those people who work shifts or who eat food at different times every day tend to have a worse state of health. In such circumstances, the physiology of the organism is altered and homeostasis at the hormonal level is broken, which in turn increases stress levels.
For this reason, it is not only important to plan a balanced and healthy diet, but also to eat at the correct time . As a general rule, it is beneficial to eat and have dinner early, in addition to avoiding the consumption of carbohydrates during the night. In the case of eating food once the sun has set, those with protein and fat are the best option.
However, regarding the timing of meals, certain myths still exist, especially in the context of sports nutrition. One of them is the anabolic window, which postulates that protein consumption right after training improves muscle gain.
