Many people think that they have to have a warm meal a day. But what time of day is best to eat it – lunch or dinner? And is it bad if there is only cold food?
Monika Bischoff is a nutritionist at the Barmherzige Brüder hospital in Munich. She explains why neither the temperature of the meal nor the time of day of consumption is important.
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Does hot food have an impact on health?
Monika Bischoff: When preparing a hot meal, certain cooking methods require a lot of fat. This is reflected in the calories. That is why it is recommended to only eat one hot meal a day.
In addition, the body no longer has to heat up the warm meals to process them. It can be assumed that this means less energy has to be expended in digesting the food.
If you now have the idea of drinking ice-cold water to burn more calories, the energy expenditure is not so high that you could eat more as a result.
Of course, it is also possible to consume a lot of energy through cold meals – for example, by spreading a thick layer of butter on your bread. That’s why it’s impossible to say what is generally healthier or unhealthier.
It always depends on the composition of the dishes – regardless of whether they are cold or warm.
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When is a meal healthy?
Bishop: When it comes to the composition of healthy meals, you can follow the plate rule: half of the plate should be salad or vegetables. A quarter should be a protein side dish, such as pulses or fish, and a quarter should be a carbohydrate side dish, such as potatoes or wholemeal pasta.
High-quality fat should be used sparingly. Healthy methods of preparation that require little to no fat are braising and steaming. Nutrients and vitamins are still retained.
It is important that meals are varied and as colorful as possible – ideally regional and seasonal. And always tailored to your own needs. The basic rule is: everything in moderation.
At what point is a warm meal easy to digest?
Bishop: Everyone’s digestibility varies. That’s why there is no one right time of day for a hot meal.
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