Not a few who avoid dinner for fear of becoming fat. In fact, eating dinner at the right time provides a number of health benefits. According to recent research published by the Endocrine Society, eating an early dinner can even help burn fat and control blood sugar.

So, when is the best time for dinner and what are the benefits?

The impact of eating too late

Various previous studies have proven that eating too late can increase weight and blood sugar. These effects can also appear even if you eat foods that are usually consumed.

Armed with this, a number of researchers from Johns Hopkins University to find out whether eating dinner too late does affect metabolism and triggers obesity. They also investigated what effect it had if someone had an early dinner.

This study was conducted on ten healthy men and ten women. They were asked to eat at 10 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. as has been suggested. All participants went to bed at eleven o’clock at night.

According to research results, eating too late makes blood sugar levels higher and the amount of fat burned is less. In fact, they eat food that is usually consumed for dinner.

On average, participants’ blood sugar levels rose 20 percent and the amount of fat burned decreased 10 percent compared to people who ate early. The researchers also concluded that dinner time does affect metabolism.

When should you have dinner?

Even though dinner has an effect on your metabolic rate, that doesn’t mean you should avoid it. Research by Johns Hopkins University actually shows that dinner is still beneficial as long as it is done at the right time.

Before determining the right time for dinner, make sure you are following a regular eating schedule. Dinner time should follow the previous meal. So, there is a certain gap between lunch and dinner time.

Launching the Northwestern Medicine page, dinner should be no more than 4-5 hours after lunch. If you eat lunch at one o’clock in the afternoon, then you can have an early dinner at 5-6 pm.

Pay attention to the portion of food at each meal. Try not to eat too much, but not too little either. Most people eat too much at night because they don’t eat properly during the day.

You will certainly feel hungry between two meals. To quench a hungry stomach, prepare a healthy, fiber-dense snack that will keep you full longer. You can have a snack every 10 a.m., 3 p.m., and a few hours before bed.

If you are forced to eat late at night, you should avoid eating after 10 pm. Leave a gap of three hours between dinner and bedtime. The reason is, eating dinner right before bed can interfere with the quality of your sleep.

Best food for dinner

In addition to following dinner time early, you also need to pay attention to the type of food consumed. Certain dishes may be low in calories, but they may even make you hungry in the middle of the night.

Here are some of the best dishes to fill your dinner with:

1. Salad

Salads are not only low in calories but also rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Fiber will give you a feeling of fullness longer so it is beneficial for weight loss. However, make sure you don’t overuse the sauce or dressing.

2. Chicken, meat and eggs

Protein sources such as chicken, meat, and eggs will keep you full, even longer than white rice and fat-rich foods. In addition, having dinner with protein also prevents you from eating unhealthy snacks.

3. Whole seeds

Whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-grain bread are the best sources of fiber. The fiber in it will give you a feeling of fullness, help you lose weight, and keep blood sugar levels under control.

4. Pasta

Pasta can be the right dish to complete your day. This dish contains carbohydrates, fats and proteins. You can also process and add other ingredients according to taste to make it a healthy dish.

Dinner can affect metabolism, weight, and blood sugar levels. The impact varies, depending on your habits. In order to benefit from dinner, the key is to eat early and choose healthy foods.