Why Should You Have A Light Dinner

By Padmapreetham Mahalingum

Saturday, November 7, 2015, 14:11 [IST]

Have you heard of this old saying that goes "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper"? It is definitely a rule to follow especially if you wish to keep yourself trim.

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According to a study published in the journal "Obesity" in 2013, it is clear that the timing of the day can play a part in gaining calories. It suggests that for people who are looking for ways to reduce their weight, timing plays a major role in preventing obesity.

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Those who consume the main meal as breakfast with a light lunch and light dinner will have better chances of losing weight than those eating their main meal at dinner. It is not about what you eat but when you are trying to consume food. If you regularly consume most of your daily calories just before you lie down to sleep, it can be bad for digestion. Here are some of the benefits of eating a light dinner.

It Won’t Overload Your Digestive System

Consuming a very lavish dinner can result in weight gain as well as burden your digestive system. The other downside of eating high-calorie food is that it doesn't help you get sufficient rest through the night, thereby affecting your body mentally and physically the next day. The benefits of eating a light or small dinner is that it won't overload your digestive system.

Promotes Good Sleep

It is better to avoid large meals at night. Usually, late night heavy meals would cause indigestion and also interfere with sleep. For better sleep, a lot of people are aware that they need to avoid heavy meals, spicy foods and caffeine.

The benefit of eating light and healthier carbs is that it would boost the relaxation hormones. Eating whole grain foods such as whole wheat crackers, beans and whole grain pastas won't rob your deep sleep and REM sleep but promotes sleep quality. The benefit of eating a light dinner is that there won't be any sleep disturbances.

Stores Less Fat

The ideal light dinner is nothing but salads, soups or fruits. If you are looking for ways to store less fat during the night then choose a light dinner. If food is eaten during the wrong time of the day then your body tends to store more fat. By eating light stuff, your body would spend calories digesting them rather than obtaining calories from the food.

Optimise Blood Sugar Control

If you are looking for ways to optimize/control your blood sugar control, then eating a light dinner 1 to 2 hours before bedtime will improve the blood sugar level as well as help prevent nighttime hypoglycemia.

Better Energy

Eating for better health can promote positive energy levels and mood while postponing meals can only zap your energy leaving you completely exhausted with low blood sugar levels. The benefits of eating a small dinner is that it promotes brain function and mood levels. Early dinner can give your brain and other organs of the body time to re-energise themselves for the next day instead of working on digestion and nutrient extraction (due to having late dinner).

Reduce Gastrointestinal Problems

Eating a late heavy dinner can make you suffer from digestive problems like acidity, heart burn and bloating. Eating light and early dinners can help your digestive system process the food well in time before you hit the sack.

These are some of the benefits of eating a light dinner.

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