The Absolute Best Time To Eat Lunch, According To Science - Tasting Table

"If you're regularly feeling an energy slump in the afternoon, rather than grab a bag of cookies, you may consider instead changing the time that you eat lunch. Eating a heart-healthy breakfast and a high-protein sandwich at lunch at particular times of day can have a positive effect on your metabolism and, if you're dieting, weight loss as well. We spoke with Courtney Pelitera, MS, RD, CNSC of Live It Up and a registered dietitian nutritionist, about scientific studies that link meal timing with maintaining a healthy weight."

""The conclusion has been that lunch should be between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and definitely before 3 p.m.," Pelitera tells us. She further explains that, according to some studies, eating after 3 p.m. can slow down digestion and decrease glucose, energy expenditure, and carbohydrate oxidation. She cites one 2019 study in particular in which overweight participants who ate a late lunch lost less weight than those who ate lunch earlier in the day (before 3 p.m.)."

""Everyone has a different circadian rhythm," Pelitera said, "so it would be hard to say if there was a period of time that is too early." For example, if you eat breakfast very early in the morning, say, around 6 a.m., then it's not inappropriate to eat lunch at 10 a.m. "For health in general, I recommend that clients eat something every three to four hours," Pelitera reveals. "Whether this is a meal or a snack.""

Eating a heart-healthy breakfast and a high-protein lunch at optimal times can positively influence metabolism and aid weight loss. Studies indicate lunch between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and definitely before 3 p.m., is associated with better digestion, higher glucose handling, greater energy expenditure, and increased carbohydrate oxidation. Eating after 3 p.m. can impair those processes and was linked to less weight loss in one 2019 study of overweight participants. Individual circadian rhythms affect ideal timing, so earlier breakfasts justify earlier lunches. Eating every three to four hours, as a meal or snack, supports general health.

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