The distance between meals is very important for people with diabetes. Most guidelines recommend eating 4 to 5 hours apart. This is enough time for the body to digest all the food from the previous meal, helping blood sugar gradually decrease to a stable level. At the same time, it creates conditions for insulin to promote its effects, preventing blood sugar from spiking after each meal.
Eating on time also helps control hunger, limiting the risk of overeating at the next meal.
However, the time between meals can be flexibly adjusted depending on health status.
For people who are taking insulin or a blood sugar lowering medication such as sulfonylurea, the time between meals can be shortened to 3-4 hours. In that case, you should add a healthy snack, such as a handful of nuts or unsweetened yogurt, to keep your blood sugar stable.
For people with stomach problems or slow digestion, the gap between meals can last up to 5-6 hours to avoid food accumulation, affecting blood sugar.
For those who exercise a lot, they can supplement a small amount of carbohydrates (such as half a banana) within 30-60 minutes of exercise to prevent hypoglycemia.
Note, you should not leave meals more than 6 hours apart, as this can lead to hypoglycemia or metabolic disorders due to fasting for too long.
