Zoe’s Tim Spector and Dr Sarah Berry said that timing is everything
Bolstering your health could be as simple as ditching those late-night bites, according to nutrition expert, Tim Spector. Chatting with fellow expert Dr Sarah Berry on the Better Brain podcast, the duo highlighted the critical role that meal timing plays in our well-being, particularly warning against the detrimental habit of late-night snacking – a no-go for weight loss efforts and metabolic health.
As an authority in nutrition and one of the most cited scientists worldwide, Tim Spector has an impressive Instagram following of over 702K and has delved into the science of dietary timing during his conversation with Dr Berry. They explored the adverse effects of eating post 9pm, cautioning how it can wreak havoc on cholesterol levels and overall metabolic health.
Dr Berry revealed: “If you are eating later, typically after about eight or nine o’clock at night, you tend to wake up the next day more hungry, which is really counter-intuitive. And it’s associated with poorer metabolic health, so higher cholesterol, higher waist circumference, and poorer insulin.”
The renowned Mr Spector was clear when he chimed in, reinforcing the harm caused by nocturnal nibbling: “Late night snacking is the worst thing you can do in terms of timing.”
The way our bodies process food changes with our circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour cycle that regulates biological processes such as sleep, temperature and hormonal activity, reports the Daily Record.
And timing is everything when it comes to digestion and metabolism. Our insulin sensitivity takes a dive and digestive processes slow to a crawl as the evening unfolds, meaning our bodies meet a greater challenge in breaking down nosh and keeping tabs on blood glucose and fat come nightfall.
Dr Berry has highlighted the potential pitfalls of late-night snacking, warning that munching after 9pm could throw off our body’s natural rhythm, potentially leading to poor metabolic health, increased cholesterol levels, and an expanding waistline.
Intermittent fasting is a popular method for those looking to manage their eating schedule to boost metabolic health and shed some pounds. The diet, which gained traction thanks to the late Dr Michael Mosley, involves consuming food within a specific timeframe each day and fasting for the remainder.
Some adherents restrict their eating to an eight-hour window, such as from 11am to 7pm, allowing for meals like breakfast, lunch, and dinner within this period. Yet, there are those who push the boundaries of intermittent fasting, limiting their intake to just six hours a day – a practice that neither Spector nor Berry would advocate.
Berry said: “You don’t need to go to these like, crazy regimes. You see people doing these regimes where they’re eating within six hours. That might work for some people, but I want to go out in the evening.”
He pointed out that such restrictive diets can take a toll on our social lives, particularly when dining plans fall outside the designated ‘eating window’.
The scientist added: “You never have a social life, you can never have a meal with friends and family.”
Spector chimed in, suggesting that these extreme forms of intermittent fasting may not be maintainable in the long run. He emphasised: “There’s the ultimate scientific time [of when you choose to eat], but what’s really important is the time you can sustain this.”
It’s essential we pay attention to our eating schedules and avoid post-9pm snacks, but the key is finding a routine that fits with your way of life, social commitments and circadian rhythm.