The Origin of the Reference Invitation to Eat Three Meals a Day

Eating three meals a day is often believed to be the healthiest way to meet the body's nutritional needs. While this isn't entirely wrong, eating three meals a day isn't necessary for a healthier body.

Nutritional adequacy is not determined by meal frequency, but by the portion and composition of each meal.

"The three-meal-a-day pattern began when people began to learn about work and industry. Breakfast was to prepare energy before work, lunch was to recharge, and dinner was to rest at home. This pattern has been ingrained across generations," said Krista Varady, a nutrition professor from the University of Illinois, as quoted by SuperFastDiet and Detik , Tuesday, January 15, 2019.

According to Varady, there's no need to worry if you can't eat three large meals a day. However, make sure you eat a substantial meal each day, not just snacks to satisfy hunger.

A large meal should definitely contain enough nutrition, not just carbohydrates, to meet daily needs.

A study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a three-week diet. The study compared respondents who typically ate three meals and eight snacks.

Respondents who ate three large meals a day were shown to be better able to control hunger. They were less prone to food cravings and more selective in choosing foods according to their needs.

Respondents who were accustomed to snacking together didn't experience problems controlling their hunger. However, they tended to not feel full easily, constantly wanting to eat when they saw or smelled food.

This is what makes it difficult to control calorie intake, so weight gain is easy.