Light fasting is one of the most popular diets at present. Light fasting, scientific name intermittent fasting, refers to sometimes eating normally, sometimes eating less or not eating, alternating between eating and fasting A dietary pattern that is carried out, which is further divided into:
16:8 regimen (Time Restricted Feeding, TRF): 16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating, and unlimited calorie intake during the day.
5:2 plan: Eat 5 days a week, 2 fast days, and limit your calorie intake to 500-600 calories on fast days.
Alternate-day fasting program: eat one day, no or less food (more extreme, only water and sugar-free coffee and tea on fasting days).
Multiple studies have shown that fasting not only reduces weight, but also regulates blood sugar and lipids, improves insulin sensitivity, alters gut flora, and even delays aging.
Compared with “calorie restriction” to starve every day, eating an extra piece of meat must be weighed. Light fasting does not restrict calories, and it is also welcome to indulge during meals. Among them, the 16:8 time-restricted eating plan has the highest acceptance.
The question is, only 8 hours a day can be used for eating, eating earlier or later? Wouldn’t it be beautiful to sleep until noon on weekends and eat before 8pm (12:00-20:00)?
However, the latest research from the team of Professor Mao Yilei and Yang Huayu from Peking Union Medical College Hospital shows that the eating time of 16:8 light fasting is controlled between 6:00-15:00 (early eating) than 11:00-20:00 (intermediate eating) is much more effective, in other words, skipping dinner is the point of light fasting! The research was published in the well-known journal Nature Communications.
Before the start of the trial, 90 healthy volunteers matched for age, sex, weight, and BMI were randomized 1:1:1 to:
Early meal group (eTRF): restricted eating time from 6:00-15:00
Middle Feeding Group (mTRF): Restricted eating time from 11:00-20:00
Ad libitum group: unlimited meal times
In the 5-week trial, 82 volunteers persevered, including 28 in the early-feeding group, 26 in the middle-feeding group, and 28 in the free-feeding group. The compliance of the volunteers to the dietary regimen was: 96.8% in the early-feeding group and 98.2% in the mid-feeding group, and no serious adverse events occurred during the trial.
Test results after 5 weeks showed:
Although only the time of eating was restricted and the calories were not restricted, the daily calorie intake of the volunteers in the two groups of time-restricted eating was lower than that of the ad libitum group.
In terms of metabolism, early eating had the most significant effect on reducing insulin resistance and fasting blood glucose (HOMA-IR early-feeding group Δ = 1.08 ± 1.59, mid-feeding group Δ = 0.39 ± 0.71, p
In terms of weight loss, volunteers in the early-feeding group lost more weight, but the mid-feeding and control groups did not change much (weight: early-feeding group Δ = 1.6 ± 1.4 kg, Δ = 0.2 ± 2.2 kg in the mid-feeding group and Δ = 0.3 ± 1.2 kg in the ad libitum group, p = 0.009). Body fat percentage and body fat mass were also significantly reduced in the early-fed group (Fig. e f).
Increased levels of inflammation in the body are considered to be related to blood sugar disorders and blood lipid metabolism disorders, and early-stage eating has a better effect on reducing inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-8 than middle-stage eating and ad libitum eating. Eating early also increases the diversity of gut microbiota, which means a healthier gut microbiome.
TNF-α: Δ = 0.81 ± 1.98 pg/mL in the early feeding group, Δ = 0.06 ± 0.95 pg/mL in the mid-feeding group, Δ = 0.39 ± 1.35 pg/mL in the ad libitum group , p = 0.024;
IL-8: Early meal Δ = 1.9 ± 4.5 pg/mL, mid-feed Δ = 1.0 ± 5.5 pg/mL, ad libitum Δ = 1.1 ± 2.9 pg/mL , p = 0.045)
α-diversity: Early meal group Δ = 18.0 ± 44.0, mid meal group Δ = 11.2 ± 51.6, ad libitum group Δ = 10.2 ± 35.0, p = 0.049
In addition, the researchers also analyzed whether the sleep quality and appetite of the volunteers in each group changed, and the results showed little difference between the three groups, that is, whether it was early eating Whether eating in the middle or in the middle, there will be no “hungry to sleep well” and increased appetite. Compared with the control group, the time-restricted eating group eats even less (main meals and snacks).
At this point of the study, the conclusion is obvious: 16:8 light fasting, eating time should be early rather than late, and controlling the eating time to 6:00-15:00 in the morning is more helpful Improve insulin sensitivity, reduce fasting blood sugar, lose weight and fat, anti-inflammatory, promote intestinal health, in other words, not eating after noon (here refers to 15:00), can maximize the effect of light fasting.
As for why meals are best eaten in the morning and noon, researchers believe it may be related to the circadian rhythm of the biological clock.
The body’s blood sugar, lipid and energy metabolism receptors are regulated by the internal biological clock, which fluctuates throughout the day. In the early morning, insulin sensitivity is the highest, islet beta cells respond the fastest, and the thermic effect of food ( The phenomenon of increased energy expenditure due to eating) is at its peak.
No wonder the old saying goes: eat a good breakfast, eat a full lunch, eat fine and little at night, the importance of brunch is evident.
References
Writing | Four Five Seven
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