The number of meals should be one of the frequently discussed bets. Although 5-6 meals are recommended by more than one dietitian, there are also opinions that argue that only 2 meals will be sufficient. So which one is wrong?
The possible effects of increasing the number of meals are attributed to various reasons. Studies mostly focus on its effects on appetite metabolism. In many of the studies, it was concluded that the consumption of 3 or more meals instead of 2 meals was effective in appetite control. Thus, it was determined that there was a decrease in the next meal and in the total daily calorie intake. The main reason for this is hormones. With the consumption of food, the hormone insulin is secreted from the pancreas. Known as the hunger hormone, ghrelin works with insulin, which reduces the feeling of hunger. Since fluctuations in insulin hormone will decrease with regular meal consumption, it has positive effects on the regulation of blood sugar, especially in diabetic patients.
In addition, every food has thermic effect. This power emerges with the consumption of food and affects the total power expenditure by increasing the heat production in the body. The thermic effect of foods is affected by age, gender, meal size, meal content, and meal frequency. For this reason, it is emphasized that increased meal frequency can also increase the total power.
Many studies have shown that fat loss is higher in weight loss diets made with 3-4 meals compared to diets made with 1-2 meals.
Attention! Although it has been shown that increased meal frequency can have positive effects, as in everything else, this should not be exaggerated. Because feeding at very frequent intervals, such as 1-2 hours, always forces the pancreas to produce insulin. This can lead to type 2 diabetes by destroying beta cells in the pancreas after a while.
In conclusion… Of course, not everyone has to consume 6 meals. However, avoiding long periods of hunger, eating 3 main meals and 1-3 middle meals often create more positive results. However, it should not be forgotten that these general offers may differ according to many factors such as individuals’ habits, eating habits, metabolic disorders, and age.
