5 Benefits of Eating Dinner Early - Five Spot Green Living

There are Benefits of an Eating Dinner Early

Did you know that eating dinner early is better for your health than waiting until the kids go to bed? Here are five reasons why eating dinner early are good for you!

Better Weight Control
When you eat a late dinner, people often overeat in response to intense hunger from delayed eating. Also, when you miss breakfast and wait all day for dinner, your body responds by storing insulin and raises your risk for body fat storage and obesity.

Less Heartburn
Food needs time to digest properly before you lie down and sleep. Eating dinner early allows your body time to digest food properly and lowers the risk of acidic stomach contents rising back up into your esophagus.

Better Sleep
Avoid large meals late at night. Late-night meals can cause indigestion and drinking as little as two alcoholic drinks actually robs you of deep sleep and REM sleep which causes a person to wake more frequently, says EatingWell.com.

Better Energy
Eating throughout the day promotes positive energy levels, mood and brain function, while postponing meals can zap your energy, leaving you with low blood sugar, exhaustion, low mood and a hefty appetite. Rather than going to bed hungry, it is recommended to eat a light snack of cereal or oatmeal.

Better Health
While all of these reasons suggest eating early for better health, in addition to all of these reasons is decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. When you wait to eat dinner, people tend to eat more. If those calories aren’t burned off, your body turns them into triglycerides, which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

For some easy, quick and healthy dinner ideas, check out Happy Green Mama’s collection of Healthy Main Meals.