Debunked myths about how often you need to eat

Weight Loss & Gain

Source: micetimes.asia

In some myths it’s time to stop believing.

Interval fasting does not lose its popularity and has already gained thousands of fans. Intermittent fasting diet, in which eating takes place within a certain period, often promoted as a miracle diet. However, not everything you heard about the influence of frequency of meals on health, true.

Let us examine some of the most popular myths that you probably already have encountered and perhaps even have some.

  • Skip Breakfast will gain weight

One common myth is that the most important meal of the day – Breakfast. Hence the saying about what Breakfast should be eaten alone, and have lunch and dinner to share with someone. It is considered that skipping Breakfast will result in excessive hunger and subsequent weight gain.

However, the studies did not reveal a significant difference in weight between those who ate Breakfast and those who missed it.

Thus, the Breakfast does not affect weight, although there may be some individual characteristics. Some studies even suggest that people who lose weight in the long term, as a rule, all the same Breakfast.

It is therefore important to pay attention to your specific needs. For some people Breakfast is needed, while others can skip it without any negative consequences. But don’t force yourself close to lunch, if you do not feel comfortable.

Another important point is that it is not necessary to start your day with coffee on an empty stomach, as this will affect the digestion and can cause discomfort.

  • The more often you eat, the faster metabolism

Many people mistakenly believe that frequent meals boost metabolism, causing the body to burn more calories.

The body actually expends some calories, digesting food, this is called thermal effect of food (TEF). On average, TEF uses about 10% of total calorie intake. However, it is important the total caloric intake, not number of meals.

The use of the six 500-calorie meals has the same effect as the three meals of 1000 calories each. Considering the average TEF of 10%, you’ll burn 300 calories in both cases.

Scientists studies confirm that changing the number of meals does not affect the total number of calories burned.

Pick the diet and frequency of meals so that you feel comfortable, and you don’t feel hungry between meals. Most people choose 3 meal it is because of comfort, because they do not always have the opportunity to eat, and to eat the entire daily rate for 2 hours is difficult.

  • Smaller meals will help in losing weight

Based on the above assertion that frequent meals does not affect the speed of the metabolism, it can be concluded that on weight loss significant effect is not provided. However, in this case an important role is a psychological factor and habit. If frequent snacking is made to stick to the daily value and avoid overeating due to hunger, then you can choose this option. Moreover, some people notice fatigue, or dizziness, when they haven’t eaten for a while. If you note such in your state, you should think about to keep on hand snack or eat more often.

If you understand that you just need something to eat and at the same time your choice of food is not the most useful, then try to change the habit of not eating thus the boredom.

  • The brain needs a regular supply of glucose

There is a popular myth that if you don’t eat carbohydrates every few hours, the brain will cease to function correctly. The basis for this assertion is the widespread belief that as fuel for the brain, only glucose. Glucose is a universal source of energy, but not the only one.

Another way of energy production by the body without carbohydrates – gluconeogenesis, and if easier – ketosis. Even during prolonged fasting or diets with very low carbohydrate the body is able to produce ketone bodies from fats. Ketone bodies can fuel the brain, significantly reducing the need for glucose. This is what today’s popular “keto diet“.

This food is not for everyone and the exclusion of carbohydrates from the diet is not considered complete and does not a balanced diet.

  • We can digest at a time no more than 30 grams of protein

There is an opinion that our body can digest only 30 grams of protein per meal, so you need to eat every 2-3 hours to gain quality muscle mass. However, this is not supported by science.

Studies show that eating protein at more frequent doses has no effect on muscle mass. The role of the total amount of consumed protein per day, regardless of how many techniques he shares.

Many myths exist in the field of nutrition and dietetics followed for several generations. However, most of them have no scientific justification. In search of information on nutrition and health trust only verified sources.