A nutritional recipe that recommends eating healthy for breakfast, lunch and dinner has become a subject of interest to scientists in a new field of science – chrononutrition.

The idea of ​​this science is that in addition to how much you eat and physical activity, you need to watch the timing of your meals. The greatest concentration of calorie intake should occur in the afternoon and evening, but is a late dinner harmful to the body? Information from Wal.

Eating a balanced and light meal at dinner can help prevent diseases such as stroke or heart attack. Photo: Unsplash/Disclosure/ND

Research in this area shows that to ensure good health and prevent disease, the precise timing of meals must match the body’s rhythms.

• The highest concentration of calorie intake should occur during lunch and evening.
• 40% of calories are consumed at dinner
• 18% for breakfast

Understand your body’s rhythms

To adapt to the 24-hour rhythm of light and darkness in the environment, humans have developed physiological “times” known as circadian rhythms (about = about, dies = day).

Their function is to regulate biochemical and behavioral processes to maintain body balance. They are regulated by the biological clock:

Central – located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (hypothalamus), responsible for receiving and decoding information from the environment (day or night) and synchronizing other organic clocks.

Peripheral device – usually synchronized by a central clock. The connection between them occurs through neuroendocrine systems, that is, hormones produced by our CNS (central nervous system), which, among other biological effects, control, for example, our metabolism.

Scientists are observing changes in the body caused by modern lifestyles, exposure to artificial light, changing shifts at work and increased access to high-calorie foods.

Research results have shown that the main health effects are:

• Obesity and hypertension
• Diabetes
• Sleep pattern changes
• Gastrointestinal problems

Because eating patterns have not changed in recent years, people are skipping meals and eating whatever they want, making it difficult for scientists to define what constitutes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack in this type of diet.

This style of eating leads to changes that doctors call cardiometabolic markers (they signal obesity, elevated blood fat levels and hypertension).

The explanation for this is that metabolism and calorie expenditure decrease at night, which promotes fat accumulation.

Eating late also causes the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, which increase blood pressure. Failure to maintain a two-hour interval between dinner and bedtime is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart attack.

The American Heart Association’s recommendation is to pay more attention to the timing and frequency of meals, which promotes a healthier lifestyle and helps prevent cardiometabolic problems.

Leaves room for diabetes to develop

A recent study published by the European Medical Journal found that people who eat dinner early have lower blood sugar levels than people who eat dinner late.

Another study concluded that eating less than two hours before bed increases the risk of diabetes and is linked to the function of melatonin in the body.

Melatonin, produced before bed, is responsible for the body’s physiological adaptations, including adjustments in glucose metabolism.

Eating late can cause critical changes in the body, such as increased blood sugar levels, which contributes to the development of diabetes.

Do you have dinner time?

Everyone has their own biological rhythm, and there is no ideal time. It is important to leave an interval of 1:30 to 2 hours between your last meal and bedtime, given that the digestion process occurs more slowly at night.

Research shows that the best time to sleep is before 11:00 pm. Putting this rule into practice, dinner should take place around 9 pm.

Light food

Choose salads, fruits, vegetables, toast and whole grain bread, grilled chicken breast, but without exaggeration. Organize yourself by including meals in your evening menu that will keep you full and provide energy throughout the night, such as:

• Milk
• Yogurt
• Low-fat cheeses (mine, curd)
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Eggs
• Fish (such as sardines)
• Whole grains (brown rice)
• Whole grain bread
• Fruits with medium and low glycemic index (apple, pear, grapes, plum, etc.)