According to the above linked article, organs have a "clock," times when they are operational and times when they rest. Eating late throws them off whack, making them very testy indeed.
Even if one is not reaching for junk food, the body simply is not meant to digest at that hour. The researchers noticed that those (okay, mice) who ate whenever they wanted, even though they consumed the same amount of calories as the meal-eaters, gained weight.
Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said: "There’s a pattern, which you should build up from childhood, of three set meals a day."
Additionally, I once heard it explained that when one goes to bed after eating, the body has to divert all that energy to digestion, so one's sleep is not as rejuvenating as it should be.
It is also a lot of fun to go to bed on an empty-ish stomach.
It is also a lot of fun to go to bed on an empty-ish stomach.
I find this confusing. I was told (by a registered dietician) that eating many small meals during the day is healthy because it helps stabilize blood sugar.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how they extrapolate from this study of mice eating round the clock that humans need three set meals a day from childhood onward.
I think maybe their premise is that the body should get used to a distinct schedule. Waking up the same time, going to sleep the same time - that is also encouraged.
ReplyDeleteI can't do the small meals thing, but I don't notice any issues with my blood sugar. I do the three meals a day and it really works for me. Maybe it's because I only consume complex carbohydrates, or something.
But my main point was about eating late. That is a no-no.