“Eating a balanced diet and avoiding late night consumption patterns are key to good health

“Late night eating can affect metabolism negatively”

New Delhi, December 20, 2018:

A recent study has shown that people with an evening preference were 2.5 times more likely to have Type-2 diabetes compared to those who are morning larks. The former kind of people are also more likely to have an erratic eating pattern and indulge in an unhealthy diet. They also had a lower intake of fruits and vegetables, and higher intake of energy drinks, alcoholic, sugary and caffeinated beverages, as well as higher energy intake from fat.

The body’s circadian rhythm greatly influences how glucose is metabolized in the body. Glucose levels should naturally decline throughout the day and reach their lowest point at night. However, as night owls eat late, their glucose levels are higher during the end of the day, which can negatively affect metabolism.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr KK Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, “There is a reason – and a solid one – why people say, ‘eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.’ On waking up in the morning, the body is primed to look for food. The metabolism is revved up, and levels of cortisol and adrenaline are at their highest. The brain needs energy right away, and if one doesn’t eat or eats too little, the brain needs to find another fuel source. To do this, it activates an emergency system that pulls energy from muscle, destroying muscle tissue in the process. Then when you eat later, the body and brain are still in high-alert mode, so the body saves energy from the food as fat. The levels of serotonin are also highest in the morning and the craving levels are at the lowest. As the day passes, serotonin levels dip, and you get cravings for chocolate or cookies, and such similar foods. If you eat these foods, serotonin levels will rise, and the body begins to associate good feelings with them, creating an addictive cycle.”

The high protein, carbohydrate mix in breakfast gives the body the initial energy boost it needs in the morning. Throughout the rest of the day, the meals are made up of protein and complex carbohydrates, like vegetables. As protein is digested slowly, one does not feel hungry.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Group Editor-in-Chief of IJCP, said, “It is not just late eating that is a risk factor for potential health issues. Other associated causes include being a couch potato, a sedentary life without physical activity, and abdominal obesity due to inactivity and unhealthy lifestyles. According to Ayurveda, the best time to eat is before 10 pm. Dinner should be lighter than lunch always.”

Some tips from HCFI

Vedic science, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Allopathy all talk about eating less to stay healthy. Following are the ways to eat less.

• The brain gets a signal that you have eaten only after 20 minutes, therefore, chew every bite of food at least 15 times. It not only provides enough hormones for enzymes but also sends signals to the brain. Therefore, the time spent per meal should be 20 minutes.
• The taste buds are only on the tip and side of the tongue. If you gulp food, the brain will not get signals. Eating small pieces and chewing them properly also sends the signals through the taste buds.
• The size of the fullness of the stomach also decides how much one can eat. The brain gets signal only when the stomach is 100% full. Therefore, one should not overeat and full the stomach to its size. Also, if you eat less and over a period of time the size of the stomach will get shrunken.