As we know, we need energy from food in order to survive on a daily basis. To put it another way, we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at three different times a day to gain sufficient energy for our body.

Human beings acquire nutrients from foods so that nutrients can be converted into energy for our normal body functions. As we blink, breathe, speak and carry out every movement, our energy can be depreciated.

So, why should we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner three different times a day? What does it mean to eat regularly? In this episode, PhytoFairy will be sharing with you the importance of having regular meals!

Universe has its own laws, and the human body works in its own rhythm. Similarly, eating habits need to have regularity too.

People used to miss out on eating regularly just because they are not “feeling hungry”. For example, rushing to work without having breakfast or planning to have lunch after finishing the tasks. As we know, it is often too late when you are done with work.

“Not feeling hungry” does not mean that we do not need to eat. Typically, foods would stay in our stomach for about 4 hours as most adults would eat between 4 to 6 hours gaps. Our stomach works best if we eat regularly as the foods can be fully digested and absorbed.

Our stomachs function timely by secreting gastric acid and digestive enzymes voluntarily when it is time for food. If we always eat irregularly, the irregular eating patterns will disrupt the regularity of digestive system secretion and it would result in stomach discomforts.

Breakfast is essential

Breakfast is the most essential part out of the three meals. But it is also what many people may have overlooked. After a long night, our energy may be fully used up. As our stomach wakes up in the morning, our body is supposed to be in a state where it needs nutrients the most.

If we do not eat over a long period of time, our body will be sending us fatigue signals. Not only does it affect our health, but it would also cause poorer brain performance and concentration. As it got worse, we could hardly perform in studies and work.

Eat well in the morning, eat full in the afternoon and eat just the right amount at night.

Digestive system starts functioning the moment we wake up. Also, the digestive function and nutrients absorption are the best at this hour. Therefore, it is important to eat healthily in the morning with low sugar, low fats and high protein foods.

We can eat a more filling meal at lunch. Human body requires energy most in the afternoon, so we can choose chicken, fish, beans and other foods that are rich in protein, combined with coarse and fine grains to replenish the energy we need.

For dinner, we are recommended to dine between 6 to 7 o’clock in the evening. Having dinner near to the bedtime will cause burdens to our stomach and eventually lead to poorer digestion and make us gain weight. It is better to have lighter foods and opt for more vegetables and coarse grains for our dinner. Slow down while eating and aiming for 70% full is suggested.

Bring along some healthy snacks

What should we do if we are caught up in work? Actually, we can bring along some healthy snacks such as oatmeal cookies or a cup of PhytoNutri to fill up our stomachs during the busy time before we could get ourselves a proper lunch. It could help our stomach to get rid of excessive secretion of gastric acid, which could possibly cause stomach discomforts.

There’s an old saying: “Breakfast like a king; lunch like a prince; dinner like a pauper.” Indeed, we must eat a nutritious breakfast, make sure we are well fed at lunch and eat an adequate amount of food for dinner.

Besides eating regularly, it is necessary to avoid distraction when we are eating. No matter if you are really hungry or busy with work, remember to eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly so that we can have better digestion and a healthy body.