Should I eat less at night?

Besides the amount of food, the time of eating is also an important factor affecting your health and weight.

In the United States, dinner is often the largest meal of the day. In Spain and some other European countries, lunch is the largest meal of the day. That difference has prompted scientists to study how meals and meal times can affect health, according to The New York Times.

Avoid making dinner your biggest meal.

Dr. Nour Makarem, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University (USA), said that many studies have shown that people who consume more calories in the evening tend to have an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and inflammation levels.

Eating a lot at dinner increases the risk of obesity

In the morning, your body is ready to process a large meal, absorb nutrients, distribute them, and convert them into energy for the day, explains Frank AJL Scheer, MD, director of the circadian medicine program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. But as the day goes on, metabolic organs, like the liver and pancreas, become less responsive.

If you eat two identical meals, one in the morning and one in the evening, your blood sugar will spike and stay high for a longer period after dinner, says Dr. Scheer.

Marta Garaulet, professor of physiology at the University of Murcia (Spain), also confirmed that melatonin - a hormone that signals bedtime - will increase 1 to 2 hours before sleep, inhibiting the secretion of insulin from the pancreas, making blood sugar difficult to control.

Experts also point out that eating large meals at night increases fat storage while sleeping; increases the risk of high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, obesity and type 2 diabetes due to frequent high blood sugar levels.

On the other hand, people who consumed the most calories at breakfast or lunch lost slightly more weight than those who consumed the most calories at dinner. People were also less hungry during the day when their largest meal was breakfast than when it was dinner.

Prioritize a nutritious breakfast, choose healthy foods

Alexandra Johnstone, professor of nutrition at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, recommends prioritizing a nutritious breakfast, including protein-rich foods such as Greek yogurt, eggs or beans.

Dr. Nour Makarem suggests trying to consume more calories earlier in the day and avoiding late-night eating. If you do have to eat late at night, stay away from processed foods and foods high in sugar and sodium.

Instead, prioritize lower-calorie foods that fill you up without spiking your blood sugar, such as beans, grilled fish, chicken breast, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

A little tip from experts is to eat a hearty lunch, and you'll be less hungry by evening, and even less tempted by late-night snacks.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-nen-an-it-hon-vao-buoi-toi-185250216195424407.htm