Why should you eat frequently?

To have six small meals or to have three big meals in a day is the question. Having six small meals is a good idea rather than having three big meals throughout the day. However it does not mean that you can have junk, oily and unhealthy food. Have meals which are rich in protein, complex carbs, fiber and less in fat.

Healthy salads

So here we are to find out more about eating frequently:

• Eating small and frequent meals helps you avoid overeating the next meal.
• Small and frequent meals also assists in keeping your blood sugar levels stable.
• They help in keeping you energized and keep you going throughout the day.
• Typically there is a lot of gap between breakfast, lunch and dinner. That is when the hunger strikes and the urge to eat unhealthy and junk food kicks in too. When you eat smaller and frequent meals , you have a feeling of fullness and you will not binge eat.

What you eat matters a lot. As long as you opt for healthy choices, small and frequent meals is a good choice and it can also keep your cravings far away. They will also help in losing weight if done in a right way. Keep in mind the kind of meals you choose and portion size too.

A bowl of fruits with hazelnuts

Here are some suggestions for healthy snacks -

1. A mixture of unsalted dry fruits and nuts
2. Fruit bowl
3. Veggie salad
4. Sprouts salad or Chana salad
5. Baked sweet potato fries
6. Yogurt with fruits
7. Fruit smoothies
8. Roasted makhana
9. Dates & dry fruit laddoo
10. Roasted chana

Here are two recipes of the above suggested snacks:

1. Baked sweet potato fries

Preparation time — 30 min Cooking time — 30 min

Serves — 2 to 3

Ingredients —

Sweet potato — 2

Cornflour — 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp

Olive oil — 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder — 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder — 1/4 tsp

Chaat masala — 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Preparation -

• Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into thin and long slices. Make sure they are uniform in size. Soak them in cold water for 20 min at least.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven at 220 deg C for 10 min.
• Drain the fries and wipe them till they are dry.
• Take a small bowl and add oil, spices (except chaat masala), cornflour and mix well.
• Drizzle the mixture over the fries and toss them evenly till they are coated.
• Arrange the fries on the baking sheet Do not overcrowd the sheet.
• Bake at 220 deg C for 25 to 30 min. After 15 min, take out the baking sheet and turn over all the fries and rearrange. Bake again for 10 to 15 min till they are brown and crispy.
• After done, keep it on a cooling rack. After it cools down a little, sprinkle chaat masala and serve.

2. Roasted makhana

Cooking time — 10 to 15 min

Serves — 2

Ingredients —

Makhana — 2 cups

Oil or ghee — 1 tsp

Turmeric powder — 1/4 tsp

Chaat masala — 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder to taste

Salt to taste

Preparation —

• Heat oil or ghee in a pan.
• On low heat, roast the makhana for around 10 min till they are crunchy.
• Add all the spices and salt. Switch off the gas.
• Mix well. After they have cooled down, store in an airtight container.