Smaller portions of food spread throughout the day can help with digestion and energy levels. This energy can be either your physical or mental energy through the day. Smaller portions can also help reduce sugar, fat and calorie intake. If you have questions about serving sizes, calorie intake or exact portions, be sure to speak with a registered dietitian.
Control Blood-sugar Levels
Smaller food portions can help you stabilize your blood-sugar levels. When your blood sugar stays at a healthy level throughout the day, this will increase your energy, prevent fatigue and reduce cravings. To maximize blood-sugar energy benefits, MayoClinic.com recommends keeping carbohydrate servings to 1 oz. of bread or 1/3 cup of rice or pasta and pairing all servings with a protein. The best examples for increased energy and blood-sugar stabilization are a piece of toast with peanut butter, string cheese and fruit, or rice and pasta with chicken.
Decrease in Hunger
Reducing your hunger throughout the day can be achieved by eating smaller portions more often. When you can avoid feeling hungry, this will provide you a constant and steady energy level. Preventing hunger also allows you to feel in control of your food choices, making it easier to choose healthy and low-fat, small-portioned meals. Try adding in healthy snacks and small meals three to five times a day for maximum energy benefits.
Increase in Metabolism
When meals are made smaller and more frequent, metabolism is increased. This increases energy levels, because your body becomes more efficient at digesting meals. Once meals are digested efficiently, your body is able to supply energy throughout the day. When trying to increase metabolism and energy, eat every three to four hours with a meal or snack that is low in calories and high in fiber.
Weight Loss
Weight reduction increases energy levels due to the fact that you no longer have to support extra body fat. In a study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," men and women were served different portions of macaroni and cheese on different occasions. They consumed 30 percent more calories when offered the largest portion than when offered the smallest portion. They both showed similar ratings of hunger and fullness at the end of the meals, despite large differences in calorie intake. In conclusion, as portion size is varied, individuals adjust their perception of satiety cues while consuming more food. This means that smaller portions throughout the day can lead to an unconscious reduction in calories and weight loss, resulting in an increase in energy.
References
- American Cancer Society; Controlling Portion Sizes; November 2009
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; The Influence of Food Portion Size and Energy Density on Energy Intake: Implications for Weight Management; Julia A Ello-Martin, et al.; July 2005
- MayoClinic.com; Snacks: How They Fit Into Your Weight-loss Plan; May 29, 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Practice Portion Control for Better Health With Diabetes; Nancy Klobassa Davidson, Peggy Moreland; Feb. 12, 2010
Member Comments