Eat Less, More Often
Most people don't eat five or more small meals a day,
but may eat two or three larger meals. Yet studies have shown
that a common American "gorging" diet - in which
a person obtains total daily calories in only a few meals
per day - may lead to higher levels of LDL, or "bad"
cholesterol than a diet in which calories are divided among
multiple meals throughout the day.
A study published in the British Medical Journal determined
self-reported eating frequency; amount and types of nutrients
eaten; and fat concentrations in the blood for nearly 15, 000
people 45-75 years of age. Eating frequency per day was
classified into five different groups: one-to-two meals;
three meals; four meals; five meals; or six-or-more meals.
Blood concentrations of "bad" and total cholesterol
decreased steadily with an increasing number of meals
eaten per day. Cholesterol levels were significantly
lower in those eating six-or-more meals per day than in
those eating only one or two meals. Despite lower cholesterol
levels, eating more often was also linked to higher calorie,
fat, carbohydrate, and protein consumption, however.
This study showed the benefits of eating numerous small
meals per day, as opposed to only a few large ones. By consuming
five or six daily meals, your body will also convert less
off the food you eat into fat and maintain a constant blood-sugar
level, making you less likely to experience periods of
low energy. Be careful not to simply eat the same sized meals
you eat now, but more often - or you might actually gain weight
and raise your cholesterol.
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