To date, there are no clear studies that prove which is better. The Society for Nutritional Medicine agrees that there should be three meals a day, since in the hours between meals the body's insulin levels drop and fat can be broken down. The German Society for Nutrition, on the other hand, is of the opinion that 5 meals would be better, since the feeling of hunger between meals could not be as great and the energy would be completely sufficient until the next meal. As a result, the body would not be able to accumulate fat deposits. In addition, small snacks should be eaten in between, but not with sugar, but rather fruit and vegetables and dairy products.
What to do if you are overweight
If you are overweight, you should eat 4-5 small meals, so that regular eating prevents ravenous appetite attacks. Those who eat small snacks often do not have as great a release of insulin after eating, and hunger is not encouraged.
There is no rule!
It takes a lot of thought to figure out what is good for the individual and what is not. Many factors play a role, e.g. B. the metabolism, the insulin level, or the feeling of hunger. It is not possible to generalize here, and a mathematical formula cannot be applied either. Only recommendations can be given, how people then implement this is different for everyone. However, one piece of advice says that if you want to prevent obesity and are still a good eater, you should limit yourself to three meals a day, but choose large portions. Those who prefer small meals are well advised to have three large ones and two snacks. For a snack in between, always reach for fruit and vegetables . The conclusion of the whole thing is that the more meals you eat, the greater the selection of different foods, which is actually positive. However, eating more frequently also avoids greater fluctuations in blood sugar levels, and thus fluctuations in performance, and cravings. In a nutshell, this means that the more meals you eat a day, the smaller they should be. In this way, fatigue is avoided and life can be shaped more actively. Everyone has to find out for themselves what is good for them. The meals also have to suit his life, which means that someone who works a lot sitting down should of course not eat too much fat. For the foreseeable future, there may not be a rule of thumb as to how many meals a day should be, so it's a matter of experimenting with what one can and can't handle. Only one thing is important, it should taste good.
