Hi ,

How are you doing today?

Last week, I shared that I had reduced my eating to one meal a day (OMAD). Some of you wrote in to ask about your own routines.

But I realized I left something important out of that email. I forgot to mention snacks.

A reader shared that when she fasts, she has one meal and several small snacks in between, including dry fruits, fruit, and porridge.

Should We Snack Between Meals?

Each time we eat, our blood glucose and insulin levels rise. Dry fruits, fruit, and porridge may raise glucose and insulin levels considerably more than eggs, tofu, paneer (cottage cheese), or vegetables.

To maintain brain and heart health and manage weight, it is extremely important to keep insulin and blood glucose levels within an optimal range, even if you do not have diabetes.

• Eating 2 to 3 meals plus 3 to 4 snacks a day raises blood glucose and insulin levels far more than eating only 1 to 2 meals a day
• Insulin is not simply a blood sugar regulator. Think of it as a "fat fertiliser": it actively encourages fat storage
• Insulin also impairs brain metabolism. This is why some researchers refer to Alzheimer's disease as type 3 diabetes, or diabetes of the brain
• Chronically elevated insulin and glucose are linked to metabolic dysfunction, weight gain, elevated blood pressure, and increased risk of heart disease and stroke

This is why snacking several times a day is not the best approach for brain and heart health.

Why Do We Snack?

I have put together a short quiz to help identify why we snack and what to do about it. It covers the most common reasons — from hunger and habit to emotions and environment — and includes interpretations and practical next steps based on your answers.

Take the quiz here

Do I Snack?

With one meal a day, I do not generally feel hungry and have little desire to snack. Last week, I managed to extend my fast to 22 hours.

But I know my challenges. My husband gets home late in the evening and has his meal then, if he doesn't have it earlier in the office. He often says, "This is so tasty, just have a little taste." And most of the time, I do. That small taste interrupts my fast.

I know I am not hungry at that point. I know snacking does not serve me. And yet I find it difficult to say no. I have realized I need to be stricter about this. The two options are either to stay in another room while he eats or to refuse politely.

The problem is that willpower is unreliable when I haven't slept well or am stuck in traffic.

Something to work on.

Do let me know what strategies you use to reduce or avoid snacking. I would love to hear from you.

Best regards,

Shabnam

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Dr. Shabnam Das Kar, MD

Functional Medicine Doctor

Tiny Habits Coach

Email: [email protected]