A fascinating new study from researchers in Japan indicates a person’s metabolism of dietary proteins is influenced by when they consume their meals. The study found protein consumed early in the day promotes better skeletal muscle health and growth.
Chrono-nutrition is a relatively new area of nutrition science exploring the ways our circadian clock influences our metabolic functions. To put it simply, there is increasing evidence to suggest when we eat can be just as important as what we eat.
For decades there have been questions over whether it is optimal to eat the biggest meal of the day in the evening. While some research has linked obesity with eating the majority of one’s daily caloric load late in the day, it is clear each person’s biological clock can be different. So any general one-size-fits-all eating rule may be futile.