Eating meals should be timed. But the question is, how? Here are common ideas on what is the ideal time to eat. Read and decide when meals should be taken.

After Six

The idea here is that, the last meal of the day, supper, should be taken before six in the evening. The title “After Six” means no more eating after 6 pm. Proponents say the stomach digests food slower in the evening. Thus, eating past 6 pm may leave food in the stomach undigested and turn into tummy fats. It seems to make sense, but not if you try to shove down tons of food just before 6 pm. Some who follow this dieting style try to cheat this way.

My Opinion: Umm, it’s a good option when thinking of what is the ideal time to eat supper. But make sure you don’t overeat just to beat the deadline. A hearty breakfast and regular lunch should proceed it, though, and eat at set times when meals should be taken.

Three Square Meals Daily

This idea says eat enough each breakfast, lunch and supper at regular times when meals should be taken. Others, however, say it’s not important to have details on what is the ideal time to eat. Just have three square meals. Some people with this meal doctrine despise in-between snacks.

My Opinion: It’s ideal, especially the despising the in-between snacks part.

Eat All You Want from 4 to 7 pm

People who have this meal schedule—eating once daily, but eating all you want, at the end of a working day—says it’s going back to the primitive meal schedule. It’s going with the flow of our elementary metabolism. They say this is the ideal time to eat, because our ancestors started thus. Eating more than once a day is what keeps people overeating, they add. This eating schedule is often called the feast-famine eating style. Some who oppose, however, see the possibility of people to snack unhealthily more before 4 pm.

My Opinion: Anything that discards a healthy breakfast is a no-no.

Main Meal after 9 pm

This is an eating lifestyle in some parts of Europe, and it seems to work for them. If you’re not used to it, don’t adopt it. It can cause you heartburn or indigestion. Many health experts say 9 pm is the time for sleeping, not when meals should be taken.

My Opinion: Follow the regular time you’re used to eating meals. That’s what is the ideal time to eat meals.

Fruits before Noon

Proponents say this style of eating meals keep their kilo-joule count down. Some tend to exaggerate this and eat nothing for breakfast (that’s also before noon) except fruits. Accordingly, this is okay. What’s really bad is eating nothing until lunch time. This eating habit increases kilo-joule intake during lunch and supper, which aggravates weight gain.

My Opinion: I stick to the principle—eat a hearty and healthy breakfast. After that, what you do with lunch and super is tolerable. What is the ideal time to eat, or when meals should be taken, is a minor concern once a healthy breakfast is fulfilled.

Mini Meals Every 3 Hours

More people are subscribing to this eating style. Eating small amounts more often in the day is supposed to stop overeating and reduces stress for the stomach and digestive system. It is said to be better compared to eating three heavy meals, which stresses out the tummy.

My Opinion: It seems okay. Just eat properly at breakfast time, and eat more veggies, fruits, and protein-rich food.

Starve Today- Feast Tomorrow Alternate Eating Style

This style reportedly lowers blood pressure, is good for diabetes, and prolongs life. Huh? How is it done? Starve yourself one day and then feast all you want the next. And so on.

My Opinion: Sounds very exciting, but I don’t buy self-starving ideas. I never liked the idea of punishment to gain health. Health is being natural—in food, eating style, workout, on what is the ideal time to eat or when meals should be taken, among others.