Chrono-Nutrition

Chrono-Nutrition

Chrono-nutrition focuses to when and how do we eat as well as what and how much. Many results of studies were published between 2013 and 2015. Digestion, absorption, and metabolism are related to body’s internal clock deeply. These days, we adjust our body to match with our lifestyles. But we might want to have a chance to think the way lifestyle habits go well with the clock.

Eat Every 4 to 6 Hours?

According to the study which appeared in the journal “Cell Metabolism”, “the mice eating at all hours were generally obese and metabolically ill, reproducing the results of the earlier study. But those mice that ate within a nine- or 12-hour window remained sleek and healthy, even if they cheated occasionally on weekends”¹.

Some other studies reported that the same effect happens to humans.

Too long fasting period might cause increasing blood sugar rapidly, and extra energy is absorbed to our body from first meal after fasting. But making 12 to 15 hours fasting from after dinner to the next morning seems to be good for our health.

I always talk on the premise that we should eat three meals a day. What I think through conversations with my patients, just my opinion, eating three meals a day within 9 to 12 hours, that is, every three to four hours, is a little tough for people who work on full-time. If you do that, you would have only two meals a day.

So, why don’t you eat every four to six hours?

If you eat breakfast at 8 am, lunch is between noon and 2 pm, and then dinner is between 6 and 8 pm. if your return will be late, you can eat sandwiches between 5 and 6 pm, and have meat or fish and vegetables at home. I guess it is a huge change for people who eat anytime. To shift workers, how about make the time window in 24 hours?

Finishing eating at early time means completing your digestion by the time to go to bed. You can also get a real sleep for your body and brain both. Try it out if you like.

Are Three Meals a Day Good?

Everybody has some own lifestyle habits, for example, skipping breakfast, or eat too big lunch instead of fasting at night, etc. Dr. Kato, a Japanese professor who proposal a time-based eating, said that “Not only the digestion and absorption of food affected by the quality and quantity of food, but the secretion rhythm of digestive enzymes is formed by daily eating habits, and the gastrointestinal function becomes active by the predicting the meal time”².

The reason we recommend people to three meals a day is because the digestive enzymes and hormones which address the digestion and adsorption, and the metabolism work for internal organs rightly. If the rhythm break, the amount of blood sugar and cholesterols get out of control.

the Difference of Time and the Effects

It is said that “the digestion, absorption, and utilization are different depends on when you eat – even if you ingest the same nutrients”².

For instance, a study reported that “It is not effective to eat lots of protein only for dinner for the purpose of increasing your muscles. You should eat protein for breakfast as much as dinner. It is recommended to eat milk products and bean products for breakfast if you care of your muscles. Eat them for dinner if you concern about your bones”³.