Eating frequent mini meals throughout the day may keep you from getting too hungry between meals (and mindlessly eating later), but there’s little scientific evidence on how small meals actually boost your metabolism.
“The medical literature is mixed here. The answer probably depends more on your personal preference and what works for your lifestyle,” says Sharon Richter, RD, a registered dietitian based in New York City. Learn more tips for meal spacing.
Sharon Richter is a registered dietitian with a private nutrition practice in New York City.
References
Bellisle, F., et al. (1997). Meal frequency and energy balance. British Journal of Nutrition.
MedlinePlus. (2022). Can you boost your metabolism?
Munsters, M., et al. (2012). Effects of meal frequency on metabolic profiles and substrate partitioning in lean healthy males. PLoS One.
Schwingshackl, L., et al. (2020). Impact of meal frequency on anthropometric outcomes: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Advances in Nutrition.
Westerterp, K.R. (2004). Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutrition & Metabolism.
Why trust our experts?
