The Art of Snacking Copyright Dr. Tanya Zilberter August 2000

There are indications in favor of the "nibbling versus gorging" meal pattern as being more adequate to our biological nature. Here is just one example.

Ten years ago, a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (J.A. Jenkins et al. "Nibbling versus Gorging: Metabolic Advantages of Increased Meal Frequency." 1989, 321, 14:929-934). It reported that frequent meals may be better for you than the same calories, protein, fat and carbohydrate ratio and content, but swallowed in just three square meals during the day. It was good not only for weight loss, but for blood cholesterol: levels plummeted 15 percent. Cortisol fell more than 17 percent. An important reminder: cortisol is, besides its stress-related quality, a fat-making hormone.

Now, how about weight loss? Scandinavian researchers reported that competitive boxers who tried to lose weight by reducing their calorie intake, lost same amount of body weight, but it was mostly lean body mass - ie, muscle - in those who had their ration in two square meals compared with those who had 6 meals a day. (Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 6(5):265-72, 1996)

The Late Dinner Sin

Its term in scientific jargon is "Nocturnal Hyperphagia," - night time overeating. Some people reported that by giving up late meals they dropped weight even without changing anything else in their life style. Scientists think it is probably based on circadian rhythms (fluctuations during the day) of many eating controllers, like the appetite suppressant Cholecistokinin or fat-deposit controller Leptin. This results in increased chances of fat making in the evening/night hours compared with morning and day hours.