It’s no secret that the wellness industry has one of the fastest growing markets out there. However lately, it seems that there’s quite a lot to be said about “how to be healthy”, when in reality, it all comes down to a combination of two things: daily exercise & eating proper meals. But what about all of those viral Internet claims? Do they bear some sort of truth ?

You’ve probably also heard that eating small and frequent meals throughout the day can help to increase our bodies’ metabolic rate. Our body burns calories to digest food, so if we’re constantly eating, then wouldn’t our bodies be constantly burning calories? If we ate six meals a day, then technically, we would be able to burn twice as many calories than if we only ate three, right?

Wrong.

1. The truth about eating small frequent meals

While it is true that digesting a meal does slightly increase our metabolism, it’s important to note that it’s the total amount of food eaten in a meal that will determine the amount of energy your body will need to expend in order to properly digest it. In other words, the temporary “boost” in your metabolic rate is directly proportional to how much food you consume in a meal.

So it all comes down to the total amount of food you eat! Whether you choose to eat your daily needs in small frequent portions or in fewer large portions, you will burn the same total amount of calories. There is no difference.

Moreover, a meta-analysis of studies on metabolism had concluded that there was no evidence supporting any differences in metabolism and weight loss based on just meal size and frequency. In contrast, it had been shown that less frequent eating helped to improve satiety and to reduce hunger levels in comparison to eating more frequent meals!

2. Should we snack?

Despite these conclusions, snacking can still be useful to properly manage our everyday food cravings. For instance, snacking can help to control our appetite, reduce our hunger levels and keeps us energized throughout the day in between work our hours.

3. How to choose a healthy snack

Though snacking often isn’t totally necessary, here are some simple tips on choosing the perfect snack:

Choose low-calorie snacks that will keep you satiated, such as high-fibre foods like fruits and vegetables.
Eat when you feel hungry, not because you’re bored or maybe just thirsty.
Eat portions that will keep you energized. Snacks...are meant to be snacks, meaning they’re not meant to fill you up completely, nor spoil your meals!
Avoid overly processed foods. Choose snacks that are made with all-natural ingredients and that have a short ingredient list.

Bottom line

WHAT you eat and the WAY you eat go hand in hand.

So if you believe that eating more frequent meals helps you avoid overeating, or works better with your schedule, then go on ahead and snack away! But let’s be clear — it will not make you burn calories faster.

Do you avoid snacking at night? Check out my myth buster on late night snacking. It will make you think twice about going to bed hungry!

How do YOU choose to split up your meals?

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