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The tricky matter of dinner – plant-based or not |12 August 2022

Now that you've been snacking healthily throughout your day – we hope – we’re going to take a look at the rather tricky matter of that last meal of the day.
Tricky partly because some of the best advice about dinner seems to conflict with how humans and society generally behave.
The old adage of healthy eating tells us to breakfast like a King, (not forgetting Queen if you please), lunch like a Prince (yes, and Princess), and dine like a Pauper (yesss….and Pauperess tooooo)!
Yet our daily routines and habits often push us to skip breakfast, sometimes eat frugally for lunch, but sit down to a heavy dinner, and pushing that as close to bedtime as possible.
Likewise, in the world of work and socialising, one is rarely invited to a hearty healthy breakfast but rather to a filling dinner, and similarly with personal, family, social, and work celebrations.

And now, to complicate matters even more for ‘dinnertime’, the internet is awash with advice on the need for us to eat at least two to three hours or so before bedtime.

But what does it all mean? What should we do and how do we manoeuvre among this labyrinth of information that science and social media throws at us?

 

Here we try to keep it simple, so that we can help you find a simple and clear path.

 

The importance of dinner

Just because breakfast is deemed as the most important meal of the day does not mean that lunch and dinner aren’t just as important.

Dinner should never be skipped for the simple reason that it will be too much of a wide gap between your last meal for that particular day (maybe lunch) and the next meal you have the next day (breakfast). It can cause extreme hunger pangs, difficulty sleeping and for many people late night cravings. This can then lead to the consumption of sugary or fatty foods as the brain switches to ‘survival mode’.

Many people are worried about eating carbohydrates at night because they think it automatically turns to fat. Just as with other meals, portion size and the quality of food chosen are important as you ideally want something that not only provides energy but an abundance of nutrients.

It is also worth noting that all bodily functions continue when you sleep and your body requires energy to keep these functions going and to keep you alive!

 

Getting the timing right

There is no magic formula about the most ideal time to eat as it will vary for everyone. But there is enough evidence that the earlier you eat dinner before you sleep the better. When you are awake your body is able to burn the energy consumed but this tends to slow down when you are sleeping (at rest).

Ideally we should aim to eat at least two hours before going to bed and the meal should be light.

 

Dine like a pauper

Large portions as well as fatty and sugary foods can overload the digestive system and can make you feel sluggish the next day.

Since you’re going to be having small to moderate activity at night, you’re not going to be burning that many calories or requiring that much energy, so keep eating in the evening more in the style of monks and sisters – frugal.

 

A hearty vegetable soup is king at night

We can think of no better way to wrap up a good day’s work and activity than with a hearty wholesome soup with a piece of brown bread.

Those of you who are adept at cooking will fly through this, but for those who still find cooking a challenge, here’s a quick ‘how to’.

Put your favourite pot on low to medium fire, with a teaspoon of olive oil in it. Add some chopped onions, stir, then add some chopped ginger and garlic, or a teaspoon of garlic-ginger paste and stir. Then after a few minutes when the onions are slightly browned, add in your choice of chopped vegetables, stir, then add the amount of water equivalent to how much soup you wish to make. At this point you can also add in some beans, lentils, sweet corn or chickpeas. Cook for a few minutes until cooked through, then add in a little corn flour dissolved in water to thicken. Finally add some chopped parsley or thyme or your favourite herb, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste, et voila!

 

Eggs are not just for breakfast

It is perfectly healthy to eat eggs for dinner. Eggs are full of essential nutrients including protein, vitamin D, folate and omega-3 fats. These nutrients are great for your body no matter what time you eat them.

The best way to prepare eggs is with no oil such as boiled or poached or with as minimal oil as possible such as an omelette or frittata.

Naturally, since we’re always respecting the ‘everything in moderation’ rule, this depends on how many you would already have had during the day, over breakfast and lunch or if you have any health conditions like high blood cholesterol levels or heart disease.

 

Oats make a good dinner companion too

Oats are a very healthy option for dinner as they rest lightly on your stomach at night.

They are after all rich in fibre thus keeping you full and satisfied, which in turn helps avoid hunger pangs at night. You can serve them with some banana, apple or carrots for an extra portion of fruits and vegetables and some eggs for some protein.

 

Stay healthy and stay in touch

 

It’s been a pleasure having dinner with you and we look forward to hosting you to our next episode of Eat for Our Health next week.

Thank you for joining us this week on our Eat for Our Health page. Look us up on Social Media - Eat for our health Seychelles on Facebook and @eat4ourhealth on Instagram.

And don’t forget to drop us a little email to myhealthyplatesc@gmail.comand let us know how you’re doing with these ideas, or better still, share your favourite dishes or tips.

 

Yours in health

The E4OH Team

 

 

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