Don’t we all want a gut that chugs along as smoothly and predictably as a rail train? Though there’s not a lot of scientific research behind the question of timing meals for optimal digestion, expert advice has long hovered in the three- to five-hour range.
“For the average person, spacing out meals this way is probably the better route to go. This better allows your gut to ‘clean up shop,'” says gut health dietitian Amanda Sauceda, RDN. According to Sauceda, in the periods between your meals, the gut acts as a “migrating motor complex,” contracting to push undigested food through the digestive system. “When you eat, the migrating motor complex gets interrupted. You don’t want to be eating all the time because the ‘cleaning’ will stop.”
On the other hand, if you suffer from a digestive disorder, you might want to time your eating occasions closer together. People who have difficulty digesting fat or who experience acid reflux after larger meals may feel better with smaller portions throughout the day. Your doctor or dietitian can guide you on best practices for meal timing with conditions like IBS, IBD, or GERD.
Fortunately, though, there’s no need to worry that spacing out your meals one way or another will interfere with how well you absorb nutrients. “Your digestive system is extremely smart and adaptable, so when you eat it will deliver the right enzymes to help break down your food for better absorption,” Sauceda says.
