For Better Health: What and When Should We Have Dinner?

Dr. Svitlana Voss, a Ukrainian nutrition expert, clarified why dinner should be eaten three to four hours before going to bed and pointed out suitable foods for this meal. According to her, if a person usually goes to sleep at 11 PM, they should have dinner between 6 and 7 PM. This timing is linked to insulin, which sharply rises immediately after eating and returns to normal levels before going to sleep. She states, "This process allows the body to use fat reserves as energy during the night." It is also important that the interval between dinner and breakfast is no less than 12 hours. Thus, when planning a diet, this matter should be taken into consideration. If a person has dinner at 8 PM, they should not have breakfast before 8 AM. She adds that dinner should account for 20% of the total food intake for the day. The expert recommends having cooked vegetables and a piece of meat or fish, or seafood for dinner and advises, "It is important to choose foods that provide a sense of comfort and do not create a desire to eat within 3-4 hours before sleep."