28 Nov 2023
By Dr. Ross
Around 20 years ago, I wrote a book titled “Diets don't Work”. I made the point – you go on a diet like you go on holiday. What happens when you go on a holiday? You come home! What happens when you go on a diet? Typically, after a month or two, you go back to your old eating habits.
The only way to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle is to make it a lifelong commitment. However, over the past few decades, there have been an explosion of diet books, authors, and groups arguing their particular dietary approach as the one-true model.
One of the more frequent diet debates is whether it is better to consume small frequent meals or to have less frequent larger meals.
Some studies have suggested smaller, frequent meals improve the feeling of fullness, lead to better metabolism and body fat composition, reduce dips in energy, stabilise blood sugar levels and prevent overeating.
Other studies analysed the link between meal frequency and chronic disease and suggest increased meal frequency throughout the day improves blood fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides, along with reduced cardiovascular disease and suggest that more than four meals per day can improve good cholesterol-HDL and reduce triglyceride levels.
Continued research reveals another study that divided select participants into two groups. The first group had three meals per day whereas the second group consumed six small meals per day but with the same total caloric intake throughout the day. This diet included 30% fat, 55% carbohydrate and 15% protein. No difference was shown concerning body fat loss, however, those who consumed six meals per day had greater hunger and a stronger desire to eat.
Personally, I find all this research and information is continuously fluctuating and at times confusing. However, they all share the same basic principle: healthy eating is less volume and more natural-based products.
The most sustainable diet according to a variety of research conducted over a long period of time (up to 10 years) and proven science is the Mediterranean diet. Eating a Mediterranean style diet involves having 2-3 pieces of fruit per day, 3-5 servings of vegetables per day and eating the days largest meal at lunchtime. This diet also involves avoiding any forms of processed and packaged foods, instead alternating between small amounts of meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts and olive oil.
The Mediterranean diet has consistently proven over many years of research that it reduces most chronic illnesses somewhere between 30-50%.
All other diets have demonstrated varying degrees of effectiveness with weight loss, blood fat levels and blood sugar. However, they have not shown any significant morbidity or mortality data indicating reductions in heart attack, stroke, death etc.
When I examine these debates, pushing for three meals, six meals, high fat, low fat, good carb, bad carb, it puts my head into a spin. I believe we are trying to climb a ladder to success whilst being on the wrong wall.
A surefire wall we can all climb is to eat less volume and more natural food; maintain a good intake of fruit and vegetables, and avoid white produce (sugar, white bread, pasta, potatoes, and white rice).
As for all things relating to your health speak with your GP or a relevant medical professional. For all your financial health contact PSK on (02) 8365 8300 or visit psk.com.au
General Advice Warning - Any advice included in this article has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on the advice, you should consider whether it’s appropriate to you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs.
