Making a case for eating often

Three square meals a day may not be enough. Books, magazines, and experts on television are now encouraging everyone from athletes to office workers to dieters to eat often—every three hours—to enhance or increase the metabolism.

So…snacking is a good thing?

“Absolutely,” says Kurt Hong, M.D., PhD., the director of HMF’s Center for Human Nutrition. “ Eating a series of small meals throughout the day means a lower release of insulin after each meal. Insulin spikes after large meals can lead to fat deposition and weight gain.”

Providing fuel for your body all day keeps your metabolism active. The person who grabs a cup of coffee early in the morning and finally squeezes in a late lunch is actually slowing his or her metabolism.

“Extended periods of starvation between large meals creates gaps which keep metabolism from staying active,” says Dr. Hong. “Your body assumes the worst—there is no more food! It compensates by slowing down and no expending energy.”

To keep your body in balance throughout the day, Dr. Hong suggests eating balanced snacks. “I tell my patients to combine a complex carbohydrate with a protein source. For example, half a cup of veggie sticks with a half a cup of low-fat cottage cheese.”

Pairing two types of food is more satisfying, yet can still fall into the 150 to 200 calorie range.

“Remember, snacks are not what you find on the ‘snack food’ aisle at the market. Avoid foods with trans fat or saturated fats. Potato chips are not the kind of snacks that will help your metabolism.”

Children can benefit from several healthy snacks each day. Dr. Hong suggests low-fat string cheese, a handful of almonds or cashews, yogurt, fruit, edamame (soy beans), or wheat crackers.

“Kids get bored, so keep a variety of healthy choices on hand. It’s difficult to phase out chips and candy completely, but make them an occasional treat,” he says.

Energy bars and bottled smoothies are promoted as convenient, healthy snacks for adults and children. But are they?

“There is no standard definition of ‘energy’ for these bars and beverages. Some rely on the protein content, while others contain ingredients like branched-chain amino acids to boost performance for workouts or sports,” says Dr. Hong. He suggests the 250/25 rule: no more than 250 calories and no more than 25 grams of sugar for adults.

Eating three light meals and three healthy snacks each day can boost your metabolism and keep insulin levels steady. If lighter meals and healthy snacking is something you’d like to try, consider setting an alarm on your computer or cell phone to remind you to eat every three hours.

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Three healthy reminders

The nutrient mix: “A balanced diet should be 25% protein, 60% carbohydrates and 15% fat, give or take 5%,” recommends Dr. Hong. “For many people, this means making some significant changes because carb consumption is often 70% or more and fat consumption is 25% or more.”

A big fat secret: Fat has a higher energy density, so one gram of fat contains nine calories, while a gram of protein or carbohydrate contains four calories.

Your protein strategy: Dr. Hong says a high-protein breakfast and some protein at snack time will keep adults fueled all day. You still need to work in six or seven servings of fruit and vegetables each day, plus low-fat dairy (for calcium) and whole grains (for fiber).