I know you have heard this one before: "Eating mini meals during the day helps to boost your metabolism." Hmmm well this may not be the case. Basically the amount you eat affects how many calories you burn through digestion and absorption. Logically it makes sense. Let’s say for example a chicken breast takes 100 calories to digest. It’s still going to take 100 calories to digest whether you eat it all at once or as part of two mini meals. So maybe all of this time I was wrong to think (or blog) that mini meals are essential for boosting your metabolism. I too, thought that meal frequency affects metabolism. It is a popular rumor after all. Skipping meals will not slow down your metabolism. Eating more meals will not increase your metabolism.
However, just because the frequency with which you eat food does not affect your metabolism this does not mean mini meals are useless. Eating more frequently can help you lose weight because people are generally advised to eat complex carbohydrates and protein as part of their mini meals. These nutrients help keep you fuller for longer and are generally lower in calories. Mini meals also help reduce cravings and stop you feeling hungry meaning that you are less likely to over eat and binge on calories.
