People know what they eat impacts their digestion, but they rarely know when they eat impacts their digestive health too. According to experts, taking meals and snacks on a regular schedule helps enhance digestive health. When people don’t eat consistently daily, their stomachs overwork leading to bloating and indigestion. On the contrary, taking meals consistently throughout the day helps keep the stomach comfortable.
Dietitians have it that eating after every 3 to 4 hours allows the stomach to digest its contents properly. By developing a schedule for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, the body knows when to eat, which helps avoid overeating.
So, when should you take your meals?
Breakfast
Breakfast is an important meal that should be taken within the first one hour of waking up. People should eat a big meal in the morning to provide the body with adequate energy to kick off the day. Also, taking a heavy balanced breakfast sets the pace for metabolism throughout the day.
Lunch
People should prioritize eating their lunch 4 to 5 hours after their breakfast. They should schedule a long lunch break and take a relatively big lunch meal. The lunch meal should be big than supper for calories to be distributed throughout the day. They should avoid overeating since the body only uses what it requires, and the rest is stored as fats.
Dinner
There is no specific time to eat dinner. However, people should take their dinner 3 hours before retiring to bed. According to nutritionists, taking a meal close to bedtime poses a risk of increased insulin and blood sugar, making it daunting to have a better sleep.
Besides, dinner should be the lightest of the three meals and should include fruits and vegetables.
Snacks
Snacks can be taken any time of the day but not too close to other meals. They should be taken in smaller portions and 3 hours after breakfast and lunch. Dietitians have it that small meals aid in weight loss. The goal is to prevent hunger while still monitoring food portions to avoid gaining excessive weight.
People should take a big breakfast to provide the body with plenty of energy to handle daily activities. Also, they should take big lunch to boost energy for the afternoon and take their supper 3 hours before bedtime. Most importantly, people should give their stomachs enough time to digests every meal.