- People who fill up quickly and looking to gain weight could benefit
- Those with stomach problems such as nausea or bloating should also try six meals.
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While the vast majority of people eat three meals a day, experts have suggested that some may benefit from six to ten smaller meals.
People who experience early satiety or fullness after eating a small amount of food, or those who are trying to lose weight, should aim for six to 10 meals a day, according to a recent report from nutritionists.
It is also recommended for people with gastroparesis, a rare condition involving paralysis of the stomach which means digestion occurs more slowly.
And patients with conditions that cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or bloating are also recommended to eat more frequently.
Studies have indicated that smaller, recurring meals reduce these symptoms.
While the vast majority of people eat three meals a day, experts have suggested that some would do better with six smaller meals.
More meals are also thought to increase feelings of satiety and improve metabolism, as well as helping people lose weight.
The question of how many meals a person should eat each day is one that dietitians have long debated.
But in a recent comment According to Mississippi-based expert Lindsey DeSoto, the conclusion seems clear: For most people, three meals is fine.
Over the years, a large body of epidemiological evidence has found that, in general, three balanced meals a day are more strongly associated with a healthy weight and a lower risk of disease.
But DeSoto says there are specific cases, as mentioned above, where little and often is better.
Metabolism is the conversion of food into energy in the body. Eating more frequently stimulates your metabolism, which prevents you from going into starvation response mode.
When you go hours without eating, your body’s natural reaction is to slow its metabolic rate to save energy.
For people with gastroparesis, eating smaller meals can help digestion, as the stomach has less capacity to break it down in one sitting, making it more manageable.
A study of 305 patients with gastroparesis found that those who ate only 1.4 meals a day on average had higher symptom scores of stomach fullness, excessive fullness after a meal, bloating, and constipation.
The advice was based on a 2017 study published in Nutrition in clinical practiceconducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
However, the researchers noted that the evidence for smaller, more frequent meals is “sparse.”
Another supposed advantage of eating less and more often is also thought to be keeping blood sugar levels stable, which regulates energy levels throughout the day and prevents you from giving in to sugar cravings.
Some experts believe that athletes will also benefit from smaller, more frequent meals.
As long as protein levels are adequate, it can help preserve lean muscle mass, said the International Society of Sports Nutrition.