From a young age, children learn the importance of eating three square meals each day. However, obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 72 million Americans are obese. Nutritionists are looking for ways to combat these statistics, and one approach supports diets that feature smaller portions at each meal spread out over five or six meals instead of just three large ones.
Benefits
When you eat three meals a day, that means there are generally five hours between meals. When you decrease the size of your meals and increase the frequency to five or six each day, you can reduce your feelings of hunger because you only have to wait two to three hours between eating. Fewer hunger pains can help you reduce the amount of food you eat, limiting the number of calories you consume on a daily basis. Over time, this can help you lose weight or at least maintain a healthy weight. Spreading out your meals also helps fuel your metabolism, enabling your body to burn more calories during your day-to-day activities.
Blood Sugar Effects
Eating more often prevents your blood sugar levels from dipping. Instead of dumping larger amounts of sugar into your bloodstream three times a day, you ingest smaller amounts more frequently, allowing your blood sugar levels to increase at a slower rate, which helps your body better work with insulin to control your overall blood sugar levels. This will also help create the energy you need throughout the day, especially during hours when you would normally feel a slump and reach for a sugary snack at work or school to get you through.
Meal Timing
The key to benefiting from multiple meals comes from not only increasing the amount of meals you eat, but also decreasing the amount of calories you eat at each meal. To start, consider adding in two 100- to 200-calorie snacks to your day between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner and subtracting the snack calories from your regular three large meals. This will help activate your metabolism, as well as spread out the amount of glucose you're introducing into your bloodstream throughout the day. Consult with your physician before beginning such a program to rule out any restrictions and to determine whether this program could work for you.
Food Choices
When planning each of your meals, it's important to include a wide range of foods from different food groups, as each group provides unique nutrients that your body needs to operate. Choose primarily fruits and vegetables of many different colors, as well as lean proteins like chicken or salmon, whole grains like brown rice or whole-wheat bread and low-fat dairy products in moderation. For snacks, focus on low-calorie foods high in protein or fiber to help tide you over between meals. Some examples include a handful of almonds or any type of high-fiber fruit or vegetable snack such as a medium apple, carrot sticks with a tablespoon of hummus or celery sticks spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Halting the Epidemic by Making Health Easier: At A Glance 2010
- "Diabetes Forecast"; The Art of Grazing; Tracey Neithercott; October 2008
- Weight-control Information Network: Weight-Loss and Nutrition Myths
- MayoClinic.com; Snacks: How They Fit into Your Weight-Loss Plan; Mayo Clinic Staff; May 29, 2010
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