Should You Skip Dinner Like Akshay Kumar? Here’s What Experts Say

Last Updated:May 27, 2025, 08:36 IST

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar revealed that he doesn’t eat after 6:30 PM. But how does skipping dinner affect the body? Here’s what medical experts have to say

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has often shared in several interviews and public speaking engagements that he doesn’t eat dinner. Even at 57, his dedication to health and fitness is remarkable. Recently, a video of him went viral in which he says, “It is written in the scriptures that one should not eat after 6:30 pm.”

He adds that if he feels hungry at night, he eats white eggs, sprouts, carrots, or sometimes soup and salad. According to Akshay, eating late at night harms the body. If you eat at 10 or 11 pm and go to bed immediately, it takes 3 to 4 hours to digest the food. While the body rests, the digestive system keeps working.

But what does medical science say about skipping dinner? News18 spoke to Mukta Vashisht, Senior Dietician at Sir Ganga Ram City Hospital, New Delhi.

What Does Medical Science Say?

Mukta Vashisht explains that every individual’s body is different. However, medical science recommends having dinner earlier in the evening. The earlier you eat, the better it is for digestion and overall health. That said, completely skipping dinner is not advised.

She explains that dinner provides important nutrients like carbohydrates and proteins. Skipping dinner can lead to deficiencies, low blood sugar, and hypoglycaemia. This can affect sleep quality and in severe cases, cause fainting. Hence, dinner should never be missed entirely. Eating a light meal is always advisable.

While some people practise intermittent fasting, this should only be done under the guidance of a dietician. If you don’t want a full meal at night, opt for light and nutritious foods such as nuts, dry fruits, cottage cheese, milk, cherries, or eggs.

What Does Akshay Kumar Eat at Night?

Akshay says he eats sprouts if he feels hungry at night. He also shared his sprout salad recipe. He mixes sprouted moong with chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, boiled corn, pomegranate seeds, raw mango pieces, and raw peanuts. Then he adds black salt, black pepper, roasted cumin powder, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped coriander and mint leaves, and enjoys it as a healthy snack.

Benefits of Eating Sprouts

Sprouts are highly nutritious and recommended by experts. They are rich in fibre, calcium, vitamins A and C, potassium, and phosphorus. Sprouting enhances the availability of these nutrients and increases essential fatty acid levels. They also contain antioxidants that help fight free radicals and have anti-cancer properties.

However, some caution is necessary. People with weak immunity, such as children, the elderly, or those with autoimmune diseases, should avoid raw or undercooked sprouts due to the risk of food poisoning. Also, as sprouts are high in protein and fibre, people with weak kidneys should consume them carefully.

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