Monday, April 6, 2015

SNACKING IS NOT HEALTHY or NORMAL !!!


People over 50 will remember very clearly our mothers saying "Don't eat between meals, It will spoil your apetite"

How true.

Snacking is a myth that the "Snack Industry" has invented. This myth has been further established by so-called dieticians and nutritionists advising us to eat frequent small meals. 

According to them our meal plan should be :
  • Breakfast
  • Mid-morning Snack
  • Lunch
  • Mid-afternoon Snack
  • Dinner
  • Bedtime snack
The claim is that you can rev up your metabolism by eating. Nothing can be further from the truth. Never in the history of humanity has there been such a ridiculous way of eating. If you need that 100 calorie snack to survive, there is something seriously wrong with you.

It boggles my mind to see how such an un-scientific, absurd and actually detrimental piece of advice can gain so much popularity. All of a sudden people are having "mid-morning slumps" and "mid-afternoon crashes".

(Just for the record; these terms are totally "made-up" and do not exist in medical science !)

Millions of Americans are following this advice and there is no sign of anyone getting thinner or healthier.

Here's why :

Every meal, no matter how small causes an increase in blood glucose and is accompanied by a release in the hormone; insulin. Insulin is responsible for facilitating the use of glucose by the cells  and as soon as the blood glucose level drops in response to insulin we begin to experience hunger. If we satisfy this sensation of hunger by eating another small meal or snack the cycle is repeated and can go on forever. The problem with this eating pattern is that the metabolism never gets a break from insulin and doesn't get the chance to burn fat. A continous scretion of insulin also eventually leads to "insulin resistence" and further cravings for food. This is a viscious cycle that will lead to further obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Small meals are not satisfying and will leave one obsessing about the next snack or meal. This extremely frustrating and psychologically detrimental preoccupation with food will eventually end in "binge eating" followed by feelings of guilt for having no will power and then going back to the same dietician sponsored unhealthy style  of eating.

Eating is not an event that needs a plan or will power. Eating is and should be a natural process. Eat when you are hungry and don't when you are not. Eat until you are full and satisfied and do not eat or snack until the next meal. Your mom was right. ( Remember there were very little overweight or obese people in those days, wonder why ? )




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