Weight loss mantra: Eat bigger breakfast and smaller dinner

Eating a light dinner and a heavy breakfast can help burn more calories, and prevent obesity and high blood sugar.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: February 24, 2020 9:49 am

Eating a bigger breakfast and smaller dinner was found to reduce appetite throughout the day. © Shutterstock

Don’t skip breakfast if you’re on a weight loss journey. Instead eat a light dinner and a heavy breakfast. A new study says this eating pattern can help burn more calories, and prevent obesity and high blood sugar.

Our body uses energy (calories) to digest food, transport and store nutrients. This process, called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), can differ depending on mealtime. The new study found that calorie burning is significantly higher when eating breakfast compared to dinner. The finding is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Juliane Richter, M.Sc, Ph.D., the study’s corresponding author, said, ”Our results show that a meal eaten for breakfast, regardless of the amount of calories it contains, creates twice as high diet-induced thermogenesis as the same meal consumed for dinner.”

The researchers found that eating a high-calorie meal in the morning led to a 2.5x higher DIT measurement.

Moreover, eating a bigger breakfast and smaller dinner was found to reduce appetite throughout the day. On the other hand, eating a small breakfast was found to fuel appetite, particularly for sugary items. In addition, the study participants’ insulin and blood sugar levels were found to be lower after breakfast compared to dinner.

Avoid these foods in the morning

You know the benefits of eating bigger breakfast, but there are certain foods that you should avoid eating in the morning. Because eating an unhealthy breakfast can do more harm than good.

A healthy breakfast menu that includes fibre, protein and healthy fat can give you the energy to stay active throughout the day and keep you full. On the contrary, eating an unhealthy breakfast can make you feel sluggish, make you put on weight and increase your risk of chronic disease. Therefore, avoid eating these 3 foods in the morning.

Fortified Breakfast Cereals

Most breakfast cereals that come in packages contain mostly refined (not whole) grains and sugar. High sugar intake can raise your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease

Pancakes And Waffles

Both pancakes and waffles are very high in refined flour, which can contribute to insulin resistance and obesity. Moreover, the high-fructose corn syrup can lead to inflammation that drives insulin resistance, and cause prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Flavoured Non-Fat Yogurts

Avoid flavoured non-fat yogurts too. They contain high amount of sugar that is not good for your health. Plus, fat is not as bad as you think. Researchers say fat can help keep you full because it takes longer to digest than carbs. Instead opt for a bowl of plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt.

Published : February 23, 2020 4:46 pm | Updated:February 24, 2020 9:49 am

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