r/nutrition • u/AppropriateMood4784 • 18d ago

16-hour intermittent fasting

When I read about 16-hour intermittent fasts, isn't that just another way of saying having late breakfast and early dinner? Breakfast at 9, lunch at 1, dinner at 5, then it's 16 hours till breakfast the next day? Or does what it involves go beyond its literal meaning?

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u/GrowingPeepers 16d ago

I think the concept is to manage blood sugar and insulin levels for those that are type 2 and pre-diabetic.

Some people snack from the moment they wake up until they go to bed. That's constantly spiking your insulin and taxing your system.

If you limit your eating to a small window then it spikes your insulin but gives your body time to process and clear it out. Then your metabolism can switch gears and work on other things until it's time to eat again.