Why early dinners are back on the table for health-conscious Indians

medium nocaption119167106In January, American influencer Kristen Fischer, who has moved to Delhi, complained about the one cultural adjustment she is having a tough time with — no food at dinner parties till 11pm. “In India, the conversation is before the meal and in America, the conversation is after the meal,” she posted on Instagram. There are even threads on Reddit titled: ‘Why do Indians eat dinner so goddamn late?’ The good news: this trend is slowly but steadily changing. The after-10 crowd is reducing at restaurants, and many are turning up at social events having eaten dinner at home to keep their late-night cravings in check.While some of them are part of a rising tribe of intermittent fasters (IF) aka time-restricted eaters, others are simply realising the importance of meal timings. In fact, there is a new buzzword for it — chrono nutrition or the science of how circadian rhythms (the body’s 24-hour cycles), nutrition, and health interact.Riya Sharma* from Mumbai is one of those who has adjusted her meal timings — last meal at 7pm and first meal at 9am. Her earlier schedule was breakfast at 9.30am, lunch at 2pm, tea with biscuits at 6pm, dinner at 10pm, and a glass of milk at 11pm. Eight months on, the 54-year-old has shed 13kg, brought her HbA1c (average blood sugar) down from 8% to 5.9%, and says her energy levels are way better. She has also started walking, and quit junk food.Mumbai-based clinical dietician Shreya Shah points out that intermittent fasting is misunderstood as a diet when it’s actually an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. “When the body runs out of glucose — its usual fuel — it switches to burning fat, a process called metabolic switching. The fasting state also triggers autophagy, the body’s natural self-cleaning system that removes damaged cells and regenerates new ones — think of it as a deep-clean for your body,” she adds. This cellular spring cleaning might explain why IF enthusiasts report benefits beyond weight loss — improved mental clarity, better digestion, and more consistent energy levels throughout the day. medium nocaption119163244What was once the domain of fitness enthusiasts has now entered everyday conversation. Nutritionist Rizwana Sayed from Pune’s Apollo Clinic says even a couple of years ago, few clients used to ask her about intermittent fasting. “But now, people regularly request IF plans. Some are just curious, while others have heard of good weight loss results,” she says. Sayed warns against overpitching its benefits, though. “We do see better cholesterol profiles with IF, but that will happen anyway when people follow a healthy lifestyle. We cannot attribute these metabolic changes to IF alone — it’s just that people tend to eat healthier when following a 16:8 plan (see box).” BACK TO THE PASTContrary to what social media influencers might have you believe, IF isn’t a revolutionary discovery. “It’s nothing new,” says Noida-based MD (internal medicine) Dr Shraddhey Katiyar. “When we didn’t have electricity at our homes and, hence, no refrigerators to preserve food, cooking and eating would happen before sunset.” So, our ancestors were essentially practicing intermittent fasting. “Breakfast literally meant breaking the fast after an intermittent fasting period that could last 12-16 hours depending on an individual’s health,” says Dr Katiyar. As daylight faded, so did mealtime opportunities — a natural circadian rhythm our bodies evolved to expect.A 12-hour fasting window is already routine in medical practice for accurate lipid profile and blood sugar tests as it prevents food intake from skewing results. “That’s intermittent fasting too, just without the label,” says Dr Katiyar. Since this natural fasting period aligns with the body’s circadian rhythms, experts say it can be an easy, sustainable approach to mindful eating. Besides, IF offers other benefits like improved insulin sensitivity, weight loss, and reduced inflammation.But it can also backfire if taken to ridiculous lengths. Amit*, a 28-year-old IT professional from Pune who wanted faster weight loss, stretched his fasting period to a gruelling 20 hours, squeezing in gym sessions on an empty stomach. The result? He collapsed mid-workout. Extreme fasting recently claimed the life of an 18-year-old girl from Kerala, showing how influencers and their fad diets can be fatal.DIABETICS BEWAREIF is not for everybody, cautions Bhakti Samant, chief dietician, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai. “For diabetics, risks include hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar), especially for those on insulin or certain medications, and potential rebound high blood sugar if breaking fasts with carbohydrate-heavy meals. Patients with Type 2 diabetes should only try IF under professional supervision, while it’s not recommended at all for Type 1 diabetes patients. IF is not a one-size-fits-all formula,” she says.A 35-year-old mother from Mumbai was desperate to lose weight after delivery. “At 78kg and just four months postpartum, I found IF online and immediately started a 16:8 plan. Within a month, my milk quality deteriorated, my baby’s weight gain slowed, my hair fall worsened, I developed severe joint and muscle pain and constantly felt drowsy. I didn’t realise that as a breastfeeding mother, I needed those extra calories and frequent meals for both the baby’s nutrition and my recovery,” she says. ShowQuotesLong fasting periods can disrupt hormones in women, leading to irregular periods or fertility issues. “And binging on junk food during eating windows or over-restricting food can fuel disordered eating, which is counterproductive,” points out Shah. “But IF done right — with whole foods, strength training, and realistic fasting windows — can be transformative. Done wrong, it’s just another diet disaster.”Axel Lorentz, professor at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, has studied how IF benefits intestinal inflammation. “Fasting can reset and synchronise our body’s internal clock genes and enhance their performance. These clock proteins regulate the expression of many genes involved in intestinal health. Disruption of this circadian clock can lead to intestinal inflammation, while proper meal timings can help maintain gut health,” Lorentz told TOI.The problem, says Dr Katiyar, is we’re surrounded by low-nutrient, highly palatable foods available 24/7 at the tap of a smartphone.” Shah says it’s all about training your mind. “You shouldn’t be eating closer to bedtime anyway as metabolism slows down at night. That’s where IF plays a crucial role.” * Names changed on request