It is hard to decide whether to feast - eat every few hours, which usually means 6 meals a day - or to fast - eat only during an allotted number of hours each day.
Before we begin, I think that we often forget that fasting and feasting have both been around for, well, the beginning of human life. There were times when food was plentiful, so people ate and ate. There were few ways to preserve food, so you had to eat when food was available. They were definitely feasting!
Then there were times when food wasn't plentiful, probably more often than it was depending on the climate, and people went without eating for days or longer. It's actually been recent in history, like the last 70-80 years, that food has become so plentiful that we now believe that going without is not good for us. However, research is finding that there are health benefits associated with eating more often than the 3 square meals a day, as well as with NOT eating.
Let's see what research is suggesting for eating more often first.
FEASTING
As an example of how feasting is an important part of our lives, at church right now our pastor is taking us through the book of Exodus. There is a lot of information other than the 10 commandments in this book. I found it interesting that Israel was to set aside time for festivals or feasts three times a year. (As for fasting, there is only the Feast of Unleavened Bread, where the Israelites could not eat leavening for 7 days - kind of like Lent but way shorter than 40 days.) So, God saw the importance of coming together as a community and feasting. Actually, feasting has been a part of society in many different religions and cultures.
Although eating 6 meals a day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, supper and snack) is not necessarily "feasting", it is quite different from the practice of fasting. Most studies I found delineated between eating 1) three meals a day, and 2) four or more meals a day. None of them discuss the importance of community, which is a topic for another day.
The benefits of eating more than three meals per day is, according to Lindsey DeSoto, RDN, LD in Medical News Today (Is it better to eat several small meals or fewer larger ones?, July 17, 2022) "...eating small, frequent meals suggest that this eating pattern can:
improve satiety, or feeling full after a meal
increase metabolism and body composition
prevent dips in energy
stabilize blood sugar
prevent overeating."
Notice DeSoto states "small, frequent meals". That is contrary to modern day feasts (and probably those of old, too) where we eat as much as we can at one sitting and feel stuffed, uncomfortable and tired afterwards. One of the main premises of eating these small meals often is that it helps control blood sugar levels so you don't experience the peaks (with higher insulin levels) and valleys (where cravings are higher) when you have fewer meals. This then helps control cravings. If you control cravings, you won't be reaching for unhealthy snacks, such as cookies, chips, jelly beans, which are plentiful in stores right now, or whatever processed food snacks are in the cupboard.
Research has shown that the number of meals really does not have much effect on blood sugar levels, but that it did increase the amount of hunger and wanting to eat more throughout the day. I have seen this in my practice. Isn't it funny that eating often doesn't decrease hunger? That's because if you train your body to eat every 2-3 hours, then your body expects that food at that time and you'll feel hungry. Our body likes routine, circadian rhythms, or that internal clock we all have. Hence, results have been inconclusive in relation to eating more often and weight loss compared to eating three regular meals a day.
According to Livestrong in How to Eat 6 Times a Day and Lose Weight by Anne Danahy, MS RDN, it's important to make the meals small, protein packed and nutrient dense (or PFF - protein, fat and fiber). Quality over quantity. Eating this way takes planning; planning the foods you want to eat as well as the times you want to eat them. This is where I find people struggle.
Planning and prepping can be hard for those that already have a time crunch. However, just like every other skill in life, when we first try it we're not going to be as good as we would with repeated practice. In time we become proficient and skilled because the same learning curve applies to meal planning as it does to golf, typing, driving a car, or whatever. It's the practice that is the hardest part!
Studies have found that a 6-meal a day plan increases the good cholesterol (HDL's) and lowered fasting triglycerides, although it did not have an impact on total cholesterol or LDL's. (A quick side note here: I actually had this happen to me, where my total cholesterol increased, but my doctor was not concerned because my higher HDL level was pushing up the total level. So, it could be based on what is happening with your numbers.) And, in the journal, Circulation, by the American Heart Association, they state that this eating plan reduces the risk of both cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
What's the conclusion on eating more meals a day? Well, as you may have guessed, more research is needed because the findings have been mixed. And, my guess is, that that could be due to the fact that all or our bodies and hormone levels and gut microbiome and response to stimuli and..., and..., and.... are all different from person to person. When it comes to the science of processes, they may be the same, but the response of the body for each person may vary, even in the slightest way, that leads to different outcomes in the end.
That is why I don't recommend one way of eating over another, and the fact that I am not a nutritionist or doctor. As a health coach, my duty is to help you live the lifestyle you want to life. If it is something that I feel is contraindicative for you and your health, I will advise you to talk further with your physician before we set course in that direction. However, there are basic things we can do to improve health that we could address until that approval or another recommendation is suggested.
Next week, we have Part 2 of Feasts or Fasts?? where we will discuss fasting. I hope you're on the edge of your seat like I am because this is exciting stuff!!
Be sure to email me at incourage@incourage-health.com if you have any questions, or if you want to inquire about getting started on your own health journey, complete this application to chat with me.
Until next week!
In Courage, Dani
Resources:
Danahy, Anne, MS RDN. Livestrong.org. How to Eat 6 Times a Day and Lose Weight. July 30, 2019.
DeSoto, Lindsey, RDN, LD. Medical News Today. Is it better to eat several small meals or fewer larger ones? July 17, 2022.
Glazier, Eve, MD and Elizabeth Ko, MD. UCLA Health. Ask the Doctors - Are 6 small meals a day better than 3 big ones? March 13, 2018.
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