How Many Meals Should An Adult Eat Every Day?

Three or four or five, what is the ideal number of meals that an adult needs to eat every day? Check here.

By Archana Mukherji

How many meals do you think an adult should eat to keep himself healthy and fit without putting on weight? Just 3 or more?

The common advice that people give is that too much of eating will only help you gain weight.

True, but what we eat and when we eat definitely matters a lot. Eating a very heavy meal and then staying hungry for long hours only allows you to starve and crave for more and more food. Hence a proper diet is very essential.

meals for adults

There is a general myth or assumption that skipping breakfast can help you in weight loss. But have we ever wondered about the side effects this can cause?

Breakfast is very essential because after long hours of sleep, your tummy is empty and needs to get some food. Skipping breakfast often will only lead to acidity, gastric problems and even unnecessary weight gain. To know the benefits of having a breakfast click here.

This can be one reason for obesity as well, in many cases. A nutritious and filling breakfast is therefore considered very essential by dieticians. After 7-8 hours of sleep without food, you need energy to get moving.

meals for adults

As the common saying goes, "Eat Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, and Dinner like a Pauper"; it is vital to control the quantity of food that you consume during each meal.

The secret that has been concluded by many studies is that keeping calories down late at night is the secret to combating obesity.

But it is not just that eating breakfast helps you lose weight, it is associated with a lower risk of being obese.

Number Of Meals Per Day:

Number Of Meals Per Day:

Whether you prefer to eat 3 large meals a day or 6 small meals a day, it all depends on you. It is the number of calories that you consume every day that matters a lot.

If you are someone who enjoys eating 5-7 smaller meals a day, or prefers eating every 2-3 hours, and likes eating more frequently, then just go ahead and follow this.

Or, if you are someone who finds it inconvenient having to eat so frequently, or finds it annoying eating 6 small meals that leave you constantly unsatisfied and hungry, then just go ahead with your 3 large meals.

Workout:

Workout:

Just keep an eye on the calories that you consume. A proper workout is required to burn the unnecessary calories. What you eat in the meals before and after your workout can play a positive role in the recovery process and your overall ability to build or maintain muscle, increase strength or improve performance.

All that truly matters is that you eat the right total amount of calories, protein, fat and carbs each day and get those nutrients from mostly higher quality sources of food.

The advantage of 6 meals a day could be that frequent snacking, as long as it is healthy, can improve your body metabolism, keep you away from hunger and also control your blood sugar level.

Ideal Time For Meals:

Ideal Time For Meals:

Studies have proved that the ideal time for breakfast would be between 7 am and 8 am; lunch between 12.30 pm and 1.00 pm and dinner between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm. If you wish to have snacks in between, make it light and healthy. Sticking to defined mealtimes is crucial for people who want to lose weight.

Nutrition Tips:

Nutrition Tips:

Consume a mixed diet such that you get all the essential nutrients that your body needs. Avoid smoking and alcohol to combat your hunger. Rather, you will be benefited with fruits and vegetables.

If you have a sweet tooth, as long as you are not a diabetic, just go ahead and treat yourself with your favourite chocolate cake and ice cream occasionally. Sugar will not directly cause diabetes but consuming excess "empty" calories from these goodies can lead to obesity which is an important risk factor for diabetes.

Also, the truth is, you crave for sweet foods, particularly when you are under stress, because these foods trigger the release of mood-enhancing compounds in the brain. Fresh fruits and vegetables either in the original form or as salads can be beneficial at any point of time.

It is an assumption that fruits should be eaten on an empty stomach, or if it is eaten with other foods it can cause fermentation and rot in the stomach, affecting digestion. This is absolutely false.

Is It Good To Add Alcohol Every Day To Your Diet?

Is It Good To Add Alcohol Every Day To Your Diet?

Some people believe that a glass of wine every day is good for health. False again. Daily alcohol intake can be damaging to the liver.

Especially for women, drinking every day, puts them at a higher risk for breast cancer, compared with women who avoid alcohol altogether. However, red wine is an exception which contains polyphenols that can fight against cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Polyphenols are also found in dark chocolate, tea, pomegranates and blueberries as well.

You can include milk, eggs, fish and meat in tolerable limits. Too much of anything can be harmful. We all think that fish contains only good fat, but the fact is that it has a mix of good and bad fat. So maintain your limits when you consume these foods.

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