Some people are very hungry in the morning and others love to spread out with dinner. But does the effect of food on the body vary depending on the time?
He eats like an emperor in the morning and like a beggar at night, but whether there really is any truth to the proverb is a controversial scientific debate.
For a long time, it was questionable whether the time of intake had any influence on the effect of food. In the past, it was assumed that a calorie is a calorie and that it made no difference when it was consumed.
There are studies that confirm this at first glance. Recently, a team from the University of Aberdeen (UK) reported that, at least in terms of energy metabolism, it doesn’t matter if you consume most of your daily calories in the morning or afternoon.
However, overweight subjects noted the benefit of a fuller breakfast. According to co-author Alexandra Johnstone, “Participants reported that on days they ate fuller breakfasts, they had better control over their appetite, felt better about themselves, and felt fuller the rest of the day.”
THE BODY IS BETTER ABLE TO METABOLIZE CARBOHYDRATES IN THE MORNING
Different studies have confirmed that blood sugar rises much more after a late meal than in the morning. The body can metabolize carbohydrates better in the morning, which is important if you want to avoid problems such as overweight, obesity or diabetes.
This observation fits with a study from the University of Lübeck. In this, 16 men of normal weight received a low-calorie breakfast and a high-calorie dinner in a first phase and vice versa in a second phase.
As the research team observed, the increase in blood sugar and insulin levels was significantly lower after breakfast compared to dinner.
CHRONONUTRITION: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BIOLOGICAL CLOCK AND FOOD INTAKE
Works like this are particularly interesting for so-called chrono nutrition. This field of research examines the connection between the biological clock and food intake, a relationship that has often been neglected in the past.
The 24-hour circadian clock determines both metabolic processes and our behavior. However, our lifestyle habits can go against the needs of the organism. For example, people with nighttime habits tend to skip breakfast more often, increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease, nutritional deficiencies, obesity, and diabetes.
People with nocturnal habits should pay special attention to eating a healthy diet, respecting fixed meal times and taking special care of breakfast. Of course, it is not only important when you eat, but also what you eat and how much you eat. The whole must be balanced and healthy.
