What to Eat When: Foods for Slimming, Sleeping and Satisfying

Nutritionist Kimberly Snyder Explains When to Eat Certain Foods to Feel Your Best

By ERIC NOLL
Abc News

Milk builds strong bones, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Common wisdom, but turns out the important thing is not just what to eat, it's when to eat it.

Watermelon is a natural diuretic that will flush excess fluids out of the body, leaving the body at its most lean.

(Getty Images)

"We cannot evaluate the health of a food based solely on its grams of carbohydrates, fats or calories," says nutritionist Kimberly Snyder. "We also have to evaluate how easily or not it breaks down and digests in the body, and what time of day we are eating will affect health and digestion."

Timing is everything, especially when it comes to food, says Snyder.

Lunch on the Go

Don't Eat: Protein Bars The one popular to-go snack to never reach for are prepackaged protein bars, says Snyder. The main ingredient is often soy protein isolate, which is a highly processed, genetically modified protein that is difficult to digest and can depress thyroid function.

Do Eat: AvocadosRun into a deli and grab a whole avocado. Avocados are a nonclogging plant fat with tons of minerals and fiber. Avocados give stomachs a "full feeling" and provide long-burning fuel for a jam-packed day. Read more...