What to eat at what time. Proper nutrition: when is the best time to eat certain foods?

The human body works according to its own internal clock, which experts call circadian rhythms. Each of us has our own schedule, but there are also general patterns. What works for our benefit in the morning can cause problems in the evening. The same food eaten at different times has different effects on the body! If you want nutrients to be fully absorbed and not stored “in reserve” in various places, remember when it is best to eat certain foods!

Sweet yogurt with slices of fruit, kefir or fermented baked milk are not the best ideas for breakfast. When you are hungry, the level of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is high, and lactic acid contained in fermented milk products lowers it. This interferes with the normal absorption of food and can lead to digestive problems.

Best time: It is better to eat fermented milk products after meals, when the level of acid in the stomach is low. It is especially important to adhere to this rule if you like fermented milk with probiotics. In order for beneficial microflora to populate the intestines and improve health, they need favorable conditions.

Potato

Mashed potatoes for dinner are just as unhealthy as fried potatoes. This is because this vegetable has a high glycemic index. Potatoes digest quickly and give you energy, but they soon leave you feeling hungry. But there is a whole night ahead! And if you combine potatoes with fats, this can lead to weight gain.

Best time: Experts recommend eating potatoes for breakfast. Because it is rich in carbohydrates and contains both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, it is easily digestible and prevents constipation. In addition, potatoes contain a lot of vitamin B6 and a high concentration of potassium, which is good for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

White rice, just like potatoes, is a source of fast carbohydrates. If you're on a diet, or just want to lose weight, you might want to skip it for dinner. So that at night you don’t have to run to the refrigerator for something tasty, but terribly high in calories.

Best time: Rice is good to eat during the day - for breakfast or lunch. You will receive a boost of energy to complete current tasks and can safely go about your business. And if you know that you won’t be able to have a snack in the next few hours, combine rice with protein food - for example, a slice of fish or meat.

Apples

Apples and other fruits containing fruit acids should not replace the main meal. They still won’t satisfy their hunger, but they will work up a considerable appetite. Eating fruits on an empty stomach will increase the acidity of your stomach, which can lead to discomfort, pain and cramping.

Best time: Apples are an ideal food for snacking between meals. They contain pectins, which improve the functioning of the digestive tract and speed up digestion. And there are also a lot of vitamins in bulk apples!

If you feel hungry at night, nutritionists advise paying attention to fresh fruits and vegetables. At the same time, banana, due to its high calorie and nutritional content, seems to be the best option for dinner. But this is only at first glance! Eating bananas on an empty stomach can cause stomach upset due to the high concentration of magnesium.

Best time: The ideal time to eat bananas is after a meal. Studies have shown that this fruit helps improve digestion and curb appetite. In addition, a banana is good in the first 20-30 minutes after physical activity. Athletes often resort to it to close the “carbohydrate window” after sports activities.

Nuts

Nuts are known for their high levels of healthy fats, protein, fiber and other nutrients. Together, they help prevent heart disease and help you feel fuller longer. But eating nuts at night is a bad idea because it can lead to weight gain.

Best time: If you don't want to gain extra pounds, eat nuts throughout the day as healthy snacks. At the same time, take into account the total daily calorie intake; you should not exceed your norm.

It is better to exclude cherry tomatoes, pink, red and other varieties of tomatoes from the evening menu. They contain pectin and oxalic acid, which can cause stomach upset, bloating and disrupt your sleep.

Best time: But eating tomatoes for breakfast is not only tasty, but also incredibly healthy. Due to their fiber content, tomatoes improve digestion and speed up metabolism.

Meat

Meat and products made from it are very nutritious, but such food is a bit heavy for the stomach. Experts note that it takes at least 4-6 hours for the body to completely absorb meat. If you regularly consume it in large quantities for dinner, it can result in indigestion and gastrointestinal problems.

Best time: Meat is an ideal lunch food. It is rich in iron and protein, which help relieve fatigue, improve performance and promote muscle recovery. One serving of meat will provide the body with useful substances and start the processes of restoration and growth of muscle mass.

When it comes to proper nutrition, you need to clearly separate healthy sweets from potentially harmful ones. Thus, cakes with butter cream, buns and rolls with jam can hardly be called healthy food (except perhaps for the mood), but natural marshmallows, marshmallows and marmalade are a completely different matter! But even they should be consumed in moderation.

Best time: You can indulge in sweets in the morning as a dessert. Replacing your main meal with them is a big mistake, which can be fatal for your figure.

Dark chocolate

15-25 grams of dark chocolate per day helps lower cholesterol, control blood pressure, improve blood circulation and increase brain performance. In addition, dark chocolate affects appetite, making us feel fuller a little longer. But it is also quite high in calories, so in the evening, when you are getting ready for bed, it is better not to indulge in it.

Best time: Dark varieties of chocolate seem to be created for a cheerful morning. In addition to the main meal, they will delight you with a powerful boost of energy and improve your mood. What else do you need for a productive day?

Pasta as a side dish for dinner is tasty, but high in calories. But if you can take liberties with your diet, you don’t have to give it up. After all, such products are useful!

Best time: Fiber, which is contained in pasta made from durum wheat, is required by the body for the normal functioning of the digestive system. And the low glycemic index, typical of durum varieties, is optimal for people with diabetes.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is often called women's favorite cereal. This complex carbohydrate forces the body to spend a lot of energy on its absorption, which, in tandem with low calorie content, plays into the hands of everyone losing weight.

Best time: You can eat buckwheat anytime, the only exception is at night. By evening, the body's metabolism slows down, so even healthy food is undesirable at this moment.

Expert commentary

Elena Kalen, nutritionist, expert in the psychology of weight loss

Waking up on a sweet morning, some people realize they don't want to eat breakfast. Although they understand that, having gone to work, the next meal time may be very long.

  • What to do if you don't want to have breakfast?

After waking up, drink a glass of water; you can diversify it with additives such as ginger, lemon, honey, mint, cucumber.

Water will help prepare the gastrointestinal tract for work, and after a while you can start breakfast.

Eat slow carbohydrates in the morning. This includes most vegetables, legumes and grains, as well as hard fruits. Your blood sugar levels will change slowly, keeping you full for a longer period of time, which will help you avoid snacking or being unnecessarily hungry during a meeting.

  • Eat sweets before noon

Those with a sweet tooth should choose a time for treats before 12 noon. The fact is that fast carbohydrates, and these include sweets, quickly change blood sugar levels, instantly provide energy, which just as quickly disappears within two hours. You can consume fast carbohydrates when you need quick energy replenishment.

  • Be mindful of fats at any time of the day

Fats should be chosen not according to the time of consumption, but according to their usefulness. Avoid fast foods, ready-to-eat foods, chips, crackers, donuts - they contain fats that are harmful to the body, which form plaques on the walls of blood vessels, cholesterol, which leads to health complications. Healthy fats are found in foods such as fish, vegetable oil, meat, nuts, avocados, and hard cheeses. The listed products replenish Omega reserves, which is important for the beauty and strength of nails, hair, skin, and also normalize cholesterol levels.

  • Spread your protein intake evenly throughout the day

Protein is used to renew body tissues and replenish important amino acids. Eating smaller portions of protein throughout the day will help maintain a feeling of fullness. Proteins include meat, fish, eggs, low-fat cheeses, dairy products, and legumes. Separately, I would like to say about athletes who, after training, need to close the protein-carbohydrate window for 20 minutes. And at this time it is recommended to eat chicken or lean meats, omelettes or boiled eggs, and dairy products.

Whatever recommendations you read, try to listen to your body - it is your faithful advisor. Eat when you feel hungry. You should not have breakfast, lunch or dinner if your body does not want it. This food will turn out to be unnecessary for him, and gradually you will begin to “round up”. Your body will intuitively tell you what product it needs at the moment. Does he need energy or does he need to restore vital processes?

Eat right: at what time, what foods

The best time for breakfast is from 6 to 8 am. At this time, the activity of the digestive organs increases, but it is still quite weak, so there is no point in having a completely hearty and satisfying breakfast, this can only cause a decrease in strength. As a last resort, the food should already be eaten before 9 am.

Morning is the time for optimism and joy; it is advisable to take foods that have properties to increase happiness. These are mainly fruits or dried fruits: dried apricots, raisins, prunes, dried apples and pears, figs, dates; dairy products: butter, cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc., berries, nuts: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts; jam, sugar, honey, sweet spices: green cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, saffron, etc.

Sweets give a festive feeling. But it should be noted that if you start abusing sweets, say, in the afternoon, the effect will be unfavorable. With such a sweet life, the body can relax and lose its working spirit.

From 11 to 13 is the ideal time for lunch. The whole body is ready to receive food. It is at this time that digestion is most effective and all its functions are activated. To increase mental activity, it is useful to eat all grains and legumes, but after 17 pm, eating these foods can have the opposite effect - they will begin to interfere with the work of the mind. Eating bread in the evening is one of the causes of phosphate kidney stones.

Not from eating bread, but from not taking bread in a timely manner! A slight decrease in performance is always observed after eating for an hour; this is natural and natural. That is why you should not engage in heavy physical labor, it is better to take a walk in the fresh air (as Chinese sages recommend, you must take 100 steps after eating) or read light literature.
It is ideal to drink a glass of water before eating. Firstly, contrary to popular belief, this dilutes gastric juice and digestion will be difficult. This is primary. The signal that the concentration of gastric juice has decreased reaches the brain and from there a command is given to increase the release of a new portion, which means that by the time you start eating, the concentration of all juices and enzymes will reach the maximum level. In such an environment, food is processed to the highest possible quality.

Secondly, water will fill the stomach cavity, which will help prevent gluttony. Agree, it is not always desirable to understand and remember all the time that the signal of satiety comes 15-20 minutes after the stomach is full.

Late dinner. Especially with grains and sweet foods - it will lead to improper digestion. The accumulation of toxins leads to fatigue, general weakness, weakness, heaviness in the abdomen, bloating, and an unpleasant odor from the mouth. This is because undigested food lies in the digestive tract all night, releasing numerous toxins and fermentation products.

After the body wakes up, all toxins begin to enter the blood. The nervous system is especially sensitive to toxins; it is the first to begin signaling an imbalance in the body system.
As a result, immediately after waking up, headaches, drowsiness, weakness, fatigue, a feeling of lack of rest, nightmares, and nervous, superficial sleep may appear. Many people think that this is due to lack of sleep, so they begin to sleep even more in the morning, breakfast is immediately postponed until well after 10, and lunch is automatically postponed, which can take place under these conditions no earlier than 14-15.

Signs of poor digestion:
1. After eating, the urge to empty the bowels occurs.
2. After eating, heaviness occurs in the abdominal area.
3. Reduced performance and drowsiness continues even after 2 hours after eating.
4. If the body as a whole is heavily polluted, after eating, nausea, vomiting, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, headache, fatigue, weakness, apathy, loss of strength, and aversion to certain foods or food in general may occur.

Morning is the best time to study something and engage in mental activity. This is also a great time to solve any problems.

From 3-6 in the morning it is best to engage in spiritual practices: prayers, meditation, reading mantras, just a favorable mood.

From 6-7 am, long-term memory is very active. This time is best used for memorizing, say, poems by heart, learning languages, etc.

From 7 to 8 am you can study information that needs to be memorized, but not too deeply.
From 8 to 9 am it is good to study something that requires not only memorization, but also reflection.

From 9 to 10 am it is better to work with information and statistical data.

From 10 to 12 in the morning it is good to study literature that does not require strong concentration, say, not scientific, but artistic.

From 12 to 18 o'clock a person's consciousness is aimed at vigorous activity.

From 17 to 19 hours is the most effective time for sports.

From 19-21 it is time to activate the circulatory system. Excessive physical activity is extremely dangerous at this time.

From 6 p.m., it is advisable to bring any activity into calmness and tranquility; work activity should not be stressful.

Adopting this lifestyle will make it much easier to achieve success in all your goals.

In this article, I will tell you how to properly consume foods during the day for weight loss/healthy lifestyle.

And so, the use of products, whether for weight gain, for weight loss, or for a healthy lifestyle, has a general principle:

Proper healthy nutrition implies FRACTIONAL FOOD.

Fractional nutrition involves eating food very often (ideally every 2 hours), but little by little (in fractional portions) within the number of calories you need!

Ideally, you need to arrange it so that meals are taken at the same time every day, for example: 8.00, then 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 18.00, 20.00, 22.—. see? Every 2 hours.

Fractional nutrition will allow you to maintain a stable and high level of metabolism in your body, which means more calories will be spent during the day (more energy will be spent, i.e. fat burning will accelerate), if you build muscle, then acceleration metabolism accelerates muscle growth and all due to the fact that fractional nutrition boosts your metabolism (your metabolism), i.e. all processes and synthesis in your body go much faster. Do you understand?

To implement “DP”, you need to purchase containers for food (and carry food in them, with you, everywhere):

Although, many, now, probably, are almost going crazy... they will say: wow, what is it that you need to eat every two hours, they say, why the hell do you need it, am I a cow or something, etc. p.

However, I’m not kidding, you will need to accustom yourself to eating fractionally within the number of calories you need, otherwise your metabolism will be slowed down, and fat burning will happen very, very slowly, until it stops completely or not at all. The choice is yours.

The rule is simple: the more often you eat, the faster your metabolism; accordingly, in this situation, more energy is spent, and this helps speed up the burning of excess fat. The same applies to gaining mass (muscle), only in this case, it is not fat loss that is accelerated, but muscle growth.

Moreover, split meals (frequent meals) are the best method of controlling appetite. Knowing that you will eat every 2-3 hours, you will never have the desire to eat “from the belly”, thereby eliminating “overeating”. But most people eat 1-2-3 times a day and most often when they feel hungry. And hunger manifests itself due to a long break between meals. As a result, when a person is very hungry, he eats and eats, that is, he cannot stop, he wants and wants everything (in the end, he eats until, figuratively speaking, his belly bursts).

This category of people does not even need to be explained that the feeling of fullness does not occur immediately after eating, but only after some time (guideline, 20 minutes after a meal). They also don’t need to explain that they need to eat slowly, chewing food thoroughly, because this is correct, this way the body is satiated much faster, and a person will not be able to “overeat,” but people... grab it quickly, swallow in pieces...

In general, forget about the past 2-3 meals a day, join the new realities, fractional meals are what is good for your health, your figure and other things. Fractional nutrition is the key to your future success. Also learn to absorb food correctly (slowly, leisurely, chewing food thoroughly).

How to properly distribute food throughout the day?

The second important component of our article, which I could not help but tell you about.

At the stage of losing weight (burning fat), I strongly recommend focusing on COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES in the first half of the day (before 15.00) - after 15.00, emphasis on PROTEIN FOODS!

This is done on purpose, for the reason that during the day, people are usually ACTIVE! Accordingly, this requires energy (complex carbohydrates), and it will be “wasted” due to activity, and in the evening, after work, study, etc. — PASSIVE (what is the use of energy? sitting at the computer? lying on the couch? in general, it’s obvious that there is no need, because if energy comes in, and you are passive, it will not be “wasted”, resulting in the accumulation of excess fat, therefore emphasis is placed on protein foods).

At the stage of weight gain, this rule may not apply (depending on the situation).

Ectomorph (left) / Mesomorph (middle) / Endomorph (right)

It is very important to understand what foods to eat at what time. Let's start, for example, with breakfast- the main meal for our body. If we get up early, but eat the wrong thing, we will instantly feel lethargic and drowsy. And if we don’t need to go to work, then we’ll soon go back to sleep.

What rules exist for breakfast? Let's see.

You should not eat grains and legumes for breakfast. Bread, buns, sandwiches, and cereals are canceled (with the exception of buckwheat). And remember that we are talking about breakfast, which occurs around 6 to 8 am.

It's good to eat fruit for breakfast. If the time of year permits, use fresh ones, they will give that cooling effect desired in summer. In winter, you can give preference to dried fruits for breakfast.

Dairy products are welcome. For example, yoghurts, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk.

In the morning, women can and should eat sweets. In any volume and in almost any form. It could be some kind of sweets, chocolates. Don't deprive yourself of sweets! If you go on a diet and give up sweets completely, then your hormonal system will be very lacking in feminine energy, you will look like a grumpy chainsaw. Do this for your loved ones - eat sweets in the morning! Then you will be kind and affectionate with them. Don’t worry: anything eaten before noon according to solar time will not affect your figure.

michaeljung__Depositphotos

Fruit salad is also a good breakfast. Even better - with yogurt. Depending on the time of year, eat different fruits, berries, and nuts. This salad is quick to prepare and perfect for the morning. Another important rule for girls. You need to eat more often, but in small portions. And be sure to try different flavors. This streamlines the feminine nature of experiences and pacifies.

Dinner It is best to arrange it around noon solar time. The main thing is no later than two o'clock in the afternoon. Lunch is the most thorough and satisfying meal of the day, during which, in general, you don’t have to limit yourself to the serving size. It is recommended to eat legumes and high-calorie foods. The main rule is not to overeat. After eating, you need a feeling of fullness, not heaviness.

Dinner must take place no later than 8 p.m. Between lunch and dinner there can be light snacks (fruits, nuts). It is not recommended to eat pulses. They are digested only at lunch under the energy of the sun. If you eat a bun at night, it will be digested not today, but tomorrow, as a result of which you will get up with a feeling of heaviness. It is best to eat vegetables in the evening, preferably steamed or stewed, as they are easily digested at night. True, you shouldn’t go heavy on potatoes and tomatoes: potatoes are quite heavy, and tomatoes are closer in properties to berries than to vegetables. It is also good to drink warmed milk with spices at night, such as green cardamom, which has a good effect on sleep.

Good day, my dear readers. Many people associate losing weight with staying in the gym around the clock and going on a hunger strike. Yes, physical exercise has a beneficial effect on your shape. But the most important thing is what you eat and how you cook it. Therefore, I decided to talk about what you need to eat to lose weight. A proper diet will help you easily say goodbye to excess weight without harming your body.

I'll tell you a secret - when fighting for a slim figure, a huge number of products are permissible. However, you need to be very serious about choosing the food you will consume. When losing weight, foods that speed up metabolism are very good. Read more about what you can enjoy in the article “”. Here I will briefly talk about each food group.

Cereals

This group of foods is rich in plant fibers, which are beneficial for our digestive system and. Thanks to them, a feeling of fullness comes quickly and it lasts a long time.

In addition, consuming cereals is beneficial because the body is saturated with valuable elements. These include phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, niacin, iron, selenium, etc. These substances have a beneficial effect on the body. Among other things, they speed up metabolism.

  • buckwheat;
  • rice (brown, black and red are especially good);
  • rye;
  • oats;
  • barley.

Meat and fish

This is a valuable protein, so necessary for building muscle tissue. Refusal of meat when losing weight leads to the accumulation of adipose tissue and the simultaneous loss of muscle tissue. And yet, the body spends a lot of energy on digesting meat. And after such a meal you forget about the feeling of hunger for a long time.

Nutritionists advise giving preference to lean meats - lean beef, rabbit, chicken or turkey. Also add an egg to your diet.

Some weight loss experts believe that the best meat is fish from cold waters. It is rich not only in proteins, but also in iodine and. These elements are important for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which is responsible for the speed of metabolic processes. Choose. For example, flounder, tuna, cod, pollock, etc. And seafood should not be neglected. Include shrimp and squid in your diet.

When it comes to protein, don't worry about taking in more than 20-30 grams at a time. It will sink in later. I recently read an article, and there are even more offers to eat there. Include any protein at every meal.

Vegetables

This group of products is low in calories. Vegetables are also rich in fiber, the digestion of which requires the body to spend a large amount of energy. Plant fibers improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and normalize metabolism. In addition, fiber prevents fats from food from being completely absorbed.

  • cabbage (cauliflower, white cabbage, broccoli);
  • tomatoes;
  • cucumbers;
  • pepper;
  • zucchini
  • turnip;
  • celery (root), etc.

Fruits

Most fruits have low carbohydrate content. Therefore, they do not have much effect on blood glucose levels. Fruits are also rich in fiber, the benefits of which I have already mentioned twice above :)

Those who are losing weight can eat:

  • grapefruit,
  • apples,
  • avocado,
  • pomegranate,
  • pear,
  • kiwi,
  • peaches,
  • pomelo and other fruits.