Marc Romera, scientific nutrition expert: "For the vast majority of people, two or three meals a day is more than enough."

More and more voices in the field of scientific nutrition are challenging the long-held belief that we need to eat five times a day. One of those defending this idea with clear and up-to-date arguments is Marc Romera , a specialist in scientific outreach on health and metabolism . In one of his most recent videos, the nutritionist has debunked some of the most deeply rooted myths about meal frequency , citing digestive, hormonal, and metabolic factors .

Romera doesn't mince words. "Unless you're someone who trains twice a day, an athlete with a heavy training load, or someone in a specific phase of muscle gain, two or three meals a day is sufficient ," he explains. This statement, which might seem provocative to some, is based on physiological foundations that are little known to the general public.

One of the main reasons cited is digestive health . According to Romera , spacing out meals allows the body to activate the migrating motor complex , an internal cleansing mechanism of the digestive tract that kicks in approximately two hours after the last meal or during periods of fasting . If it's constantly interrupted with new meals, this process isn't completed and can lead to disorders such as bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which is becoming increasingly common.

Another argument the expert puts forward has to do with metabolic efficiency . Every time we eat, the body releases insulin , a hormone that facilitates energy storage. "Considering that most people today lead sedentary lives, with long hours sitting and little real energy demand, the excuse that we need to eat constantly to have energy has become obsolete," Romera points out.

This idea goes directly against the mantra of "you should snack every few hours," which has been widely used as a standard recommendation for years, even among health professionals . But Romera points out that, for someone who doesn't expend large amounts of energy throughout the day, this strategy can more easily lead to caloric excess and weight gain .

In addition to insulin, Romera highlights the effects of eating multiple times a day on glycemic stability . Frequent overeating creates a roller coaster of blood glucose ups and downs , which can lead to a phenomenon known as glucodependence: the constant need to ingest sugar or simple carbohydrates to avoid feeling fatigued or irritable.

"Reducing the total number of meals avoids that roller coaster and improves the body's ability to access its own energy reserves," he notes. This translates, he explains, into greater metabolic flexibility, that is, the body's ability to alternate between using glucose and fat as its primary source of energy.

Romera isn't proposing a new fad or extreme diet. Her message is clear: adjust the number of daily meals to the body's true needs, taking into account each person's physical activity , habits , and health status . Not everyone needs to eat five times a day, nor should everyone practice intermittent fasting . Finding the middle ground is often the key.

For most people, especially those with sedentary work lives , concentrating their diet into two or three well-structured meals can have more benefits than drawbacks, from improved digestion to greater energy stability . And although each case is different, Romera reminds us that recommendations should be adapted to the current reality of the population, not to inherited dogmas.

More and more voices in the field of scientific nutrition are challenging the long-held belief that we need to eat five times a day. One of those defending this idea with clear and up-to-date arguments is Marc Romera , a specialist in scientific outreach on health and metabolism . In one of his most recent videos, the nutritionist has debunked some of the most deeply rooted myths about meal frequency , citing digestive, hormonal, and metabolic factors .