Eating three times a day is a practice embedded in the culture and daily life of many people. Its health benefits have been questioned by some experts. Moreover, this diet is considered harmful.
It may be that skipping meals is more beneficial than sticking to a strict diet .
According to historian Abigail Carroll, this practice is part of the culture of Europeans, which they also impose on Americans. This habit is inherited by future generations as healthy, while at the same time there is no conclusive evidence to support the claim, explains Carol. She develops the theme in her book Three Squares: The Invention of the American Meal .
For example, the fame of breakfast as the most important meal of the day is largely imposed by advertising campaigns for cereals and natural juices. Data from a 2014 study conducted by researchers at the University of Bath, UK, found no difference in calorie intake during the day among snackers and non-snackers.
Those who eat breakfast burn more calories, but these are the extra calories consumed, and the net consumption for the day remains the same compared to those who do not eat breakfast.
Doubts about the benefits of a strict diet are also felt in the results of other studies. For example, an analysis of one published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that eating every eight hours could help you lose weight .
From the data of laboratory research among animal organisms it is clear that those who eat every eight hours are healthier and weaker. It is found that when eating three larger meals a day and six smaller ones, the number of calories is the same. The mode in which they are taken turns out to be important.