Three Meals Vs. Six Snacks. Which is Better?

You’ve heard it a thousand times: Eating six small meals per day is better than eating three big ones. In the interest of obesity prevention, a wealth of research has aimed to determine whether or not snacking can influence body weight or energy intake better than eating traditional meals can. The widely accepted Booth Hypothesis implies that the growing trend of “grazing,” instead of consuming the traditional three “proper” meals plus beverages and snacks between them, is a major factor in the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. If this hypothesis is true, it must be assumed that extra snacks increase the total number of calories consumed, ultimately causing weight gain (Speechly & Buffenstein 1999).

Research on this issue is “messy.” Some studies have supported one approach; other studies have supported the other. To compare these two eating strategies, a brief review of the nature of hunger and satiety should be considered.

Read the results here.

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Why Healthy Snacking Is Good for You

You may have noticed that you feel hungry a lot. This is natural — during adolescence, a person's body demands more nutrients to grow. Snacks are a terrific way to satisfy that hunger and get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs.

But you need to pay attention to what you eat. Stuffing your face with a large order of fries after class may give you a temporary boost, but a snack this high in fat and calories will only slow you down in the long run.

To keep energy levels going — and avoid weight gain — steer clear of foods with lots of simple carbohydrates (sugars) like candy bars or soda. Look for foods that contain complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads and cereals and combine them with protein-rich snacks such as peanut butter or low-fat yogurt or cheese.

For more simple snacking tips, read here.

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