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SHOULD THE MEALS BE SMALL AND FREQUENT

As human life evolved on earth and man started living in villages and then cities the human body started changing internally as far as its metabolism is concerned. A significant majority started gaining more body weight than desirable while some people could gain no weight despite all the possible efforts on the part of the individual. Culturally, people prefer breakfast, lunch and dinner with some snacking in the evening. It is widely believed that this routine improves health and wellness though no definite scientific scrutiny has ever been done. Another line of thought is that small frequent meals are better suited to gain and maintaining body weight and muscle mass. All this may sound confusing but being a complex living being everyone out of us may need a bit of an individualized approach. Some studies where one group ate three large meals while the other group enjoyed six smaller meals a day showed no significant dif ference in body fat provided the total calorie intake was controlled and equal. But it has been observed that those in the six meals-a-day programs developed more appetite which could make them prone to excess calorie consumption in future as there would be no restriction on calorie intake at home. 

The studies came to a near conclusion that there is no need to be bounded by any strict regime regarding the number of meals one consumes. What is important is the quality and type of food and also the state of mind when one is having one's meal. Many people believe that small frequent meals control weight gain and improve body metabolism but studies do not support such claims. Rather a large meal may improve metabolism but again there are individual variations. But some studies indicate that small frequent meals with adequate protein content may improve athletic performance. It has been observed that food quality is better in the groups where people have three or more meals per day because legumes, vegetables, greens, fruits, dairy and nuts are added to the meals as varieties. These people are also less likely to have added sugar and salt than those who have only two meals a day. Thus, it has become reasonably clear that there is nothing miraculous as far as frequent meals or two meals a day are concerned. It is an individual approach and discipline . Quality of ingredients and balance of calories is very important. The needs of individuals have to be tailored. Remember that food is one of the many factors which keep us healthy and fit or vice versa. To stay fit you have to review your overall lifestyle because health includes physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being.

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