The study, recently published in. has been published The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism &, examined data from 27,911 US adults and found that those who ate plant-based meals for dinner were at significantly lower risk of heart disease than those who ate refined carbohydrates and meat in the evening. This was true even when those who avoided meat and refined carbohydrates at night ate them at other times of the day.

“Meal timing along with food quality are important factors to consider when looking for ways to reduce the risk of heart disease,” said study author Ying Li of Harbin Medical University in Harbin, China, in a press release. The study found that people who ate a plant-based dinner high in whole carbohydrates and unsaturated fats saw the greatest reductions in heart disease.

That finding is remarkable, says Dana Hunnes, PhD, RD, senior dietitian at UCLA Medical Center and author of the upcoming book Recipe for survival, even for someone like herself who has long advocated a plant-based diet as a means of reducing the risk of chronic disease. “The fact that the risk of heart disease was reduced by 10 percent directly at night with a plant-based meal is truly amazing, “she says. “It has the power to prevent millions of deaths each year.”

The study didn’t investigate why exactly what time of day you consume your plants matters – the reason being that it may be healthier to eat bacon in the morning than steaks in the evening, for example – but Dr Hunnes has a few theories.

For Starer, she says, eating whole, plant-based meals improves endothelial function of blood vessels, which means that when blood pressure is lower, they open wider. “This is because plant foods are high in fiber and low in saturated fat, have higher availability of nitrous oxide – this relaxes blood vessels and can help lower blood pressure and improve performance – and high in phytonutrients and antioxidants, all They are all beneficial for heart health and for removing unhealthy plaques from blood vessels, ”she says.

And giving your body a break from digesting the saturated fats in animal products while it’s inactive at night can also help reduce your risk of heart disease. “They supply your heart and blood vessels with healthier nutrients and substrates while you sleep,” emphasizes Dr. Hunnes.

This new finding does not change anything about your nutritional advice, but it strengthens it. “As aI always recommend reducing, if not eliminating, meat consumption to improve health, prevent and even reverse disease, ”she says. “You are what you eat and plant foods, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fiber are all beneficial to you.” Especially, it seems, at night.