⏰ What intermittent fasting strategy works best?

Intermittent fasting has gained popularity as a “novel” dietary approach, often involving a restricted daily eating window to support weight loss.

One of the most common methods? Skipping breakfast. But is that actually the most effective strategy?

A recent study explored the effects of two different intermittent fasting protocols on body composition in young women over an 8-week period.

Participants were divided into three groups:

• Early Eating Window: 08:00–14:00

• Late Eating Window: 12:00–18:00

• Control Group: 08:00–20:00

All participants also followed a basic resistance training program throughout the study

Key findings:

• All groups experienced similar gains in muscle mass and muscular endurance.

• However, the Early Eating Window group lost significantly more body weight (-2.61 kg) compared to the Late (-1.44 kg) and Control (-0.48 kg) groups.

🥊 Punchline

These preliminary results challenge the popular “breakfast skipping” narrative. Instead, they suggest that an earlier eating window may be more effective for weight management—at least in young women.

🥦 What’s better for you blood sugar: a vegetarian or vegan diet?

A recent feeding study involving 30 participants compared the effects of vegan and lacto-vegetarian diets on blood sugar regulation.

Both diets were matched for calories, protein, and carbohydrates—the only difference being the inclusion of dairy in the lacto-vegetarian group.

Participants wore continuous glucose monitors for 14 days to track blood sugar levels.

Key finding: Those following the lacto-vegetarian diet had lower average blood sugar levels compared to those on the vegan diet.

A separate study may help explain this. It found that individuals on a lacto-vegetarian diet had higher levels of acetyl carnitine—a compound that supports fat metabolism and reduces oxidative stress, which can occur when blood sugar is elevated. This protective effect could contribute to the more stable glucose levels observed in the dairy group.

On the other hand, the vegan group showed increased levels of phenylalanine—an essential amino acid that, in excess, may impair the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. This may help explain why previous research has linked regular dairy consumption with lower rates of type 2 diabetes.

🥊 Punchline

Including dairy in your diet may support better blood sugar control than a strictly plant-based approach.

🍳 Does skipping breakfast affect blood sugar levels later in the day?

It’s common for teenagers to skip breakfast—often due to a lack of appetite after late-night eating or simply being in a rush to get to school.

A recent study focused on teenage girls who regularly skip breakfast and examined how eating (or not eating) in the morning affects blood sugar responses at lunch, served at 12:30 PM.

As expected, those who had breakfast showed higher blood sugar levels before lunch.

However, eating breakfast actually led to lower blood sugar levels after lunch.

Interestingly, the greatest drop in post-lunch blood sugar was observed in those who had a late breakfast.

This suggests that the timing of breakfast—whether early, mid-morning, or skipped entirely—can significantly influence how the body manages blood sugar in response to a standard lunch.

🥊 Punchline

The interval between breakfast and lunch may be a key factor in blood sugar regulation for teenagers who habitually skip breakfast.