Meal Timing Influences Weight Loss as Much as Total Calories Consumed

Virtually all western cultures are presently fighting an obesity epidemic, as processed convenience foods dominate total calories consumed. Homemade meals that include fresh vegetables, fruits and lean protein sources have become a rare event over the past half century, placing the health of millions at risk. Most people are aware that the total number of calories eaten and physical activity play an important role in weight management, but new research is beginning to demonstrate that the timing of meals and types of foods consumed may help prompt weight loss as much as the actual calories eaten.

Meal Timing is a Critical and Independent Factor that can Help Promote Weight Loss

A research team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston has found that meal timing is a critical factor necessary to shed pounds. Publishing in the International Journal of Obesity, scientists reveal that it's not simply what you eat, but also when you eat, that may help with weight-loss regulation. Study author Dr. Frank Sheer noted “This is the first large-scale prospective study to demonstrate that the timing of meals predicts weight-loss effectiveness.”

To conduct the study and determine the importance of food timing with respect to weight loss, researchers studied 420 overweight participants from Spain who followed a 20-week weight-loss treatment program. The participants were divided into two groups (early-eaters, main meal before 3 PM and late-eaters, main meal after 3 PM) based on the self-selected timing of the main meal, which was lunch in this cohort of Mediterranean volunteers. Participants consumed forty percent of their daily calories at lunchtime, widely considered to be the main meal in Spain.

Eat Breakfast Every Day and Avoid Between Meal and Late Night Snacking

The team found that late-eaters lost significantly less weight than early-eaters, and displayed a much slower rate of weight-loss. Late-eaters also had a lower estimated insulin sensitivity, placing them at significantly higher risk for diabetes. Dr. Sheer concluded “This is the first large-scale prospective study to demonstrate that the timing of meals predicts weight-loss effectiveness… novel therapeutic strategies should incorporate not only the caloric intake and macronutrient distribution, as it is classically done, but also the timing of food.”

Interestingly, the researchers found that late-eaters losing the least amount of weight also consumed fewer calories during breakfast and were more likely to skip the first daily meal altogether, supporting previous studies concluding the importance of eating a high protein breakfast to stimulate weight loss. Scientists also accounted for other traditional factors that play a role in weight loss such as total calorie intake and expenditure, the appetite hormones leptin and ghrelin, and sleep duration, and found no differences between the two groups, indicating that meal timing is a critical and independent risk factor for weight loss.

Red Grape Compounds Aid Weight Management to Help Prevent Obesity

Obesity and overweight are threatening the health and lives of nearly seventy percent of the US population, and indicators are this epidemic is continuing to affect even more men, women and children as it places a significant burden on an already failing health care system. Most health-minded individuals understand the importance of eliminating refined and processed foods while maintaining constant blood glucose and insulin levels to achieve individual weight management goals.

Researchers from Purdue University have published the result of a study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry that demonstrates the potent nature of natural compounds found in red wine and many fruits to block cellular processes that allow fat cells to develop. Scientists found that the compound piceatannol, found naturally in the skin of grapes and other fruits blocks an immature fat cell's ability to develop and grow, opening a door to a potential method to control obesity.

Piceatannol Inhibits the Formation of Mature Fat Cells to Achieve Weight Management Goals

The lead study author, Dr. Kee-Hong Kim found that piceatannol, an analog of resveratrol found in grapes and other fruit, is converted to piceatannol in humans following its consumption. The team tested piceatannol in cultured immature fat cells called preadipocytes to determine if the compound inhibited the maturity process that results in fully developed fat cells, capable of storing body fat and contributing to obesity.

Dr. Kim commented “We consider that adipogenesis is an important molecular target to delay or prevent fat cell accumulation and, hopefully, body fat mass gain.” The team found that piceatannol bound to the insulin receptor on the immature fat cells, effectively blocking insulin’s ability to control normal cellular cycling resulting in mature adipocytes. The grape-derived compound stimulated the activation of special genes necessary for the fat cell maturation process.

Eat a Wide Variety of Natural Fruits and Vegetables to Help Weight Loss Issues

The study authors concluded “Piceatannol actually alters the timing of gene expressions, gene functions and insulin action during adipogenesis, the process in which early stage fat cells become mature fat cells… in the presence of piceatannol, you can see delay or complete inhibition of adipogenesis.” Similar in structure to resveratrol, scientists believe piceatannol may also exert some of the same properties to help combat cancer, heart disease and neurodegenerative conditions.

Piceatannol is yet another natural compound that has demonstrated the ability to influence genetic expression to inhibit the formation of adipocytes or alter metabolism to help achieve weight management goals alongside resveratrol, green tea catechins (EGCG) and irvingia gabonensis. When used to compliment a natural food diet void of wheat and refined carbohydrates, piceatannol may be an important component to achieve natural weight management goals.

Green Tea Boosts Weight Loss and Improves Cardiovascular Health

Green tea (and its less refined cousin, white tea) has been a part of the ancient Chinese tradition for countless generations, in large part due to its rich endowment of bioactive catechins. Many studies over the past decade have shown that green tea is a powerful tool to improve metabolism in a way that is supportive of weight loss.

Scientists publishing in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry demonstrate that it activates genes associated with fat burning while also helping to reduce absorption of fat from the digestive tract. Further evidence on the gene-altering activity of green tea is reported in the International Journal of Cardiology, as polyphenols from the drink lower free radical damage to help maintain telomere length in heart cells. Drinking several cups of green tea each day may hold the key to effective weight management and cardiac health.

Green Tea Supplementation Assists Weight Loss by Reducing Abdominal Fat Stores

Researchers from the Departments of Chemical Biology and Pharmacology and Toxicology at Rutgers University in New Jersey examined the effect of green tea supplementation on obese mice, known to exhibit similar metabolic characteristics to humans. The animals were broken into two groups and both were fed a traditional high fat/Western style diet. One group received water supplemented with the green tea bioactive catechin EGCG, while the second group acted as a non-supplemented control.

The study determined that EGCG supplementation significantly reduced body weight gain associated with increased fecal lipids and decreased blood glucose levels compared to those of the control group. Scientists further found that fatty liver incidence, associated liver damage and liver triglyceride levels were also decreased by the EGCG treatment. Treated animals also experienced improved insulin response as well as lowered C-reactive protein (CRP) and interlukin-6 (IL-6) levels, both strong indicators of systemic inflammation and immune response.

EGCG is a Powerful Antioxidant Shown to Increase Heart Muscle Lifespan

The study authors concluded “Our results demonstrate that the high fat/Western diet produces more severe symptoms of metabolic syndrome and that the EGCG treatment can alleviate these symptoms and body fat accumulation. The beneficial effects of EGCG are associated with decreased lipid absorption and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines.” Green tea helps our cellular engines (mitochondria) to better metabolize calories more efficiently, providing a significant weight management tool.

Additionally, supporting research documents the effect of green tea catechins on extending the lifespan of heart muscle cells. Scientists found that EGCG supplementation exerted a potent antioxidant effect that lowered free radical damage to preserve telomere length and reduce heart cell death. Nutrition experts recommend two to four cups of fresh brewed green tea daily or an organically compounded and standardized EGCG supplement (300 to 500 mg daily) to assist weight management goals and improve cardiovascular health.

Watermelons Lower Belly Fat Accumulation and Heart Disease Risk

Researchers from the University of Kentucky have demonstrated that consuming watermelon juice can have a significant impact on artery-clogging plaque deposition by modifying blood lipids and lowering dangerous belly fat accumulation. Heart disease takes the lives of millions of unsuspecting individuals each year, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) leading to a heart attack is the most common form of the disease.

Many different species of melons have been shown to benefit human health and watermelon is no exception. Regular consumption of the red fruit can help manage fat deposition and weight management goals while lowering the risks associated with coronary artery plaque accumulation and heart disease.

Watermelon Improves Lipid Profile and Fat Accumulation to Lower Heart Disease Risk

Researchers using mice with diet-induced high cholesterol were given supplemental watermelon juice while a control group was fed a typical diet with plain water. After a study period of eight weeks, the animals given watermelon juice had lower body weight than the control group, due to decreased fat mass. They experienced no decrease in lean mass, an important finding as muscle tissue remained viable and weight loss was due to loss of abdominal body fat.

Further, the study authors determined that plasma cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in the supplemented group, with modestly reduced intermediate and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations as compared to the control group. An examination of plaque affected lesion areas found that the watermelon juice group experienced significant reductions in atherogenic plaque lesions and a statistically significant reduction in risk of progressive arterial hardening and heart attack.

Watermelon Consumption is Shown to Stabilize or Slow Arterial Plaque Growth

Lead investigator, Dr. Sibu Saha concluded “Melons have many health benefits… this pilot study has found three interesting health benefits in mouse model of atherosclerosis. Our ultimate goal is to identify bioactive compounds that would improve human health”. Any intervention that can stabilize or slow the growth of arterial plaque will result in a critical lowered risk of atherosclerosis (arterial hardening), the leading form of heart disease.

Like many other fruits and vegetables found in their natural form, watermelons contain powerful carotenoid antioxidant compounds that promote human health and fight disease. Watermelons derive their red color from lycopene, a nutrient well known for its ability to fight colon and prostate cancer. In addition, watermelon consumption is associated with protection against macular degeneration and has been shown to help lower blood pressure and improve insulin signaling. Prior studies have used three cups of watermelon juice or two and a half cups of fruit chunks to provide clinically significant levels of lycopene.

Green Tea Halts Weight Gain by Inhibiting Fat Absorption

Reporting in the research journal Obesity, researchers continue to mount crucial evidence to support green tea as an agent in the war against overweight and obesity. Green tea (and its less refined cousin, white tea) is shown to slow weight gain and may be a key tool in the obesity epidemic impacting the health of millions of children and adults in western cultures.

Mice supplemented with the active compound found in green tea, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) were fed a high-fat diet and gained weight much slower than their control counterparts. The findings demonstrate the potent effect of the natural tea extract when coupled with a healthy, calorie-reduced diet that minimizes processed carbohydrate foods and hydrogenated fat sources.

Green Tea Extract Shown to Slow Weight Gain By 45 Percent

Extensive scientific research has been performed on green tea and the potent EGCG extract. Most of this work has shown a direct link between green tea consumption and lowered risk of Alzheimer`s dementia, many digestive cancers, cardiovascular disease as well as being an aid in weight management. Green tea contains between 30 and 40 percent polyphenols that contribute to its myriad of health benefits. Common black tea contains between 3 and 10 percent polyphenols, as the leaves have been highly refined to remove the naturally occurring compounds.

Research leader Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences at Penn State University and his team determined to expand on prior research showing that green tea consumption promotes healthy body weight. The researchers used obese mice genetically predisposed to gain weight. The mice were broken into two groups; each fed a high fat diet. The test group was supplemented with EGCG in their drinking water for a period of six weeks.

ECGC Polyphenols From Green Tea Cut Fat Absorption by Thirty Percent

The results showed that mice receiving the active EGCG component through supplementation, along with a high-fat diet, gained weight 45 percent more slowly than the control group of mice eating the same diet without EGCG. Lambert noted “Our results suggest that if you supplement with EGCG or green tea you gain weight more slowly.” Additionally, mice fed the green tea supplement showed a nearly 30 percent increase in lipid excretion, suggesting that the EGCG was limiting fat absorption by inhibiting pancreatic lipase. The study did not differentiate between caffeinated and caffeine-free green tea consumption, so caffeine sensitive individuals can attain similar results with non-caffeinated sources.

Researchers noted that green tea consumption did not appear to suppress appetite, an indicator that the weight reduction effect was due to inhibition of fat cell genesis. The authors concluded “Human data … shows that tea drinkers who only consume one or more cups a day will see effects on body weight compared to non-consumers.” Most nutritionists suggest 2 to 4 cups of green tea each day, or a standardized EGCG extract (500 mg to 1 gram daily) along with a calorically-balanced diet to achieve weight management success.

Resveratrol and Vitamin D Team Together to Increase Metabolism and Prevent Obesity

Resveratrol has been on the nutritional radar of researchers because of its proven ability to mimic some of the life-extending characteristics provided by calorie restriction as seen in animals and humans alike. Scientists publishing in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research draw a solid link between resveratrol, vitamin D and other phytonutrients as agents that may lend a helping hand in the life-threatening battle against overweight and obesity.

Researchers document the newly discovered effect of the nature-derived nutrient on lipid metabolism, and demonstrate that supplementation along with the sunshine vitamin and quercetin synergistically decreases the formation of new fat cells in the body. This finding is significant because it may provide a critical metabolic aid to children and adults that suffer the health-damaging effects of obesity every day. Further evidence exists to hail the trio in the genesis of osteoblasts in bone marrow that may offer a new therapy for osteoporosis that affects the mobility of millions of aging adults.

Resveratrol and Vitamin D Combine to Regulate Genes that Control Body Weight

Scientists studying metabolism in aging adults have found that stem cells differentiate in favor of adipocytes (fat cells) and to the exclusion of osteoblasts (cells necessary for the formation of new bone). This means that as we age, our body has evolved to store fat as an aid to our survival. As metabolism slows, we continue to eat the same number of calories that helps to fill the newly acquired adipocytes. While building and maintaining bone structure may sound like a good idea to us, it is not pre-programmed into our genetic matrix.

Development of new fat cells has evolved as a protective mechanism, although the vast majority of older adults really don`t need this genetic advantage. Researchers found that supplemented resveratrol, vitamin D and quercetin work together to regulate our genes and down regulate the production of fat cells while boosting the production of osteoblasts. Naturally it is important to practice caloric restriction as we age. Many aging adults will be able to utilize this phytonutrient trio to prevent excess weight gain and the debilitating effects of osteoporosis.

Natural Nutrients Help Weight Management Efforts Along with Healthy Diet

In addition to the well documented anti-cancer and longevity benefits previously ascribed to supplemented resveratrol, health-minded individuals will want to include resveratrol and other phytonutrients as an aid in the fight against abdominal fat accumulation. Researchers concluded “It should be noted that combining resveratrol with other phytochemicals may provide an extraordinary potential for preventing obesity and osteoporosis. These phytochemical synergies may make possible novel safe, potent and efficacious therapies.” Be sure to include resveratrol (25 to 50 mg per day) in your dietary arsenal to assist weight loss, boost metabolism and prevent bone loss.