Ingredient Timetable: Best Food For Different Parts Of The Day

While in principle, the most important aspect of creating a healthful nutrition plan, is to include Clean (preservative free), Whole (unrefined) and mostly Plant foods (fruit, vegetables, lentil, beans, wholegrain, nuts & seeds). There are some specific things that we can work on, in terms of eating or avoiding certain food groups at certain times. Let's look at some simple rules around what to eat when and what to avoid! A few basic changes in the way we plan our diet and meals can ensure, better digestion, better nutrient absorption, more energy, better blood sugar throughout the day etc...

"    What to eat, on Waking up - This is the first opportunity for us to consume something nutritious. After a long break for the digestive system and an 8-12 hour break from the last meal, the absorption capacity of the digestive system is at its peak. This is the time, to eat the most nutritious meal of the day, ideally a fruit or a fresh vegetable juice.

"    What not to eat, on Waking up - When we wake up in the morning, body's natural cortisol is released, which makes us feel alert and awake, ready to take on the activities of the day. This means that contrary to what we feel, we actually don't need caffeine to make us feel alert in the morning, nature has designed the adrenal glands to do that. By starting our day with a cup of coffee or tea, we are adding an extra stress response. Because caffeine is addictive, in nature, it is harder to change this habit, and we suffer from withdrawal symptoms like a headache etc that makes us feel, we cannot be efficient without caffeine, but this can
be addressed in the same manner as any change of habit is, with time and discipline.

"    What to eat, at Breakfast - The most important component of a good energising breakfast, is Fruit! The easily digestible sugars, provide energy for brain function and actual energy for the myriad tasks lined up for the day. The fibre in the fruit ensures that there is no surge and then dip in the blood sugar level, rather there is a consistent energy release or a consistent blood sugar level. Fruit also provides a range of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants), that help the body's several processes, like immunity, digestion, recovery and also help add a feeling of well being!

"    What to eat, at Lunch - This can be the most complex or the largest meal of the day. Even Ayurveda suggests, eating the largest meal of the day at lunch. This means we can eat grains, protein, vegetables, a raw salad and some quality fat at this time. Consuming different food groups, at one meal, means a longer digestion time and it is ideal at this time, so it doesn't impact sleep quality etc.

"    What to eat, at Snacktime - This is a tricky meal time because most people don't always plan for it and are caught unawares, leading to poor food choices. The meal between lunch and dinner, which should provide energy, shouldn't be heavy, should be convenient and should help tide us to dinner time. Nuts and Seeds are power packed, easy to eat and contain protein, fat fibre and several minerals, which makes it the best choice for a snack!

"    What not to eat, at Dinner - This is the last meal before bedtime, the meal should be simpler or should include fewer food groups. Eating heavy foods like butter, cream, meat etc which takes longer to break down. If there is undigested food in the digestive tract, when we go to bed, it will impact the body's natural cellular recovery process. This will also negatively impact the quality of sleep. The undigested food in the digestive tract, will also lead to food decay and releasing of gas and digestive discomfort.