Eating, eating, lunch, snack - how familiar these words are to us, and how often we have to choose where and how to spend the next dinner. However, we do not think so often how our eating habits and eating habits affect our health and well-being. Scientists from London asked this question.
How often do you need to eat
British nutritionists came to an interesting conclusion: the optimal number of meals per day should be nine. According to them, such a snacking frequency helps lower blood cholesterol, stabilize blood pressure and speed up metabolism.
A study involving 2,000 people was conducted at Imperial College. Each of them consumed the same amount of calories per day. At the same time, some of the subjects ate less than 5 times a day, and the rest more. The result was surprising: the participants in the second group had significantly better blood pressure, and they weighed less.
What is the secret of this phenomenon, scientists have not yet figured out. There is an assumption that the frequent intake of a small amount of food prevents an increase in the level of fatty acids, which increase the percentage of cholesterol in the blood and lead to the accumulation of fats in the vessels. In addition, normalizing the level of fatty acids contributes to the efficient absorption of food and reduces the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Another study at the University of Montana confirmed the benefits of multiple meals. It showed that those who prefer frequent meals are more resilient and energetic. One group of firefighters followed a standard diet, while the other received special lunches for regular light meals. As a result, the participants of the second group were able to complete 25% more tasks than the first.
Nutritionists focus on the fact that with frequent meals you can not overeat. Controlling calorie intake is an important factor in a healthy diet.
How to develop the habit of eating right
Svetlana Patsynko, an international expert on healthy nutrition and fitness, told how to develop the right view of food. The main thing is to set a goal and firmly go towards it. What will help with this?
1. Create a menu and schedule meals. Most often, it is a hungry person who gives in to the desire to eat everything in a row. If you plan meals on the menu and on time, the likelihood of food breakdowns is significantly reduced. The presence in the diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts and greens will compensate for the lack of micro and macro elements, minerals and vitamins in the body.
2. Develop the habit of having a hearty breakfast. The presence of proteins and fats in the morning diet will help you not to feel hunger longer. But with carbohydrates at night it is best to "tie up". And the most interesting thing for those who claim that they can’t eat in the morning - the body can get used to the new diet in just 3-4 days.
3. To make friends with like-minded people. The most difficult thing in switching to proper nutrition is to change taste preferences. It will take you about a month to fall in love with buckwheat instead of cakes. And for victory in this struggle, it is important that there are “fans” - those who can support and cheer up.
And most importantly, according to Patsynko, if you really want something forbidden, do not deny yourself. But not every day!
We believe that this is timely news, because proper nutrition is the key to good health and longevity. But in our world full of stresses and problems, there is less and less time for good nutrition, and fast foods, pies and sandwiches for snacking are becoming more and more ... Agree, you have to fight for a healthy lifestyle, pull yourself together, make a schedule and enjoy the healthy food. So when do we start?
