Dietitian Gürkan Hınız's statement on snacks: Are they a necessity?

While it is debated whether consuming snacks between main meals during the day is an indispensable rule of healthy eating, dietitian Gürkan Hınız explained that snacks are not mandatory for everyone. Hınız emphasized that this habit, shaped by modern life rather than being a physiological requirement, should be tailored to individual needs.

Consuming fruit, nuts, or small snacks between main meals during the day is preferred to speed up metabolism and keep hunger under control. In statements made to Cumhuriyet, dietitian Gürkan Hınız stated that healthy adults do not have to consume snacks if they can meet their daily nutritional requirements with adequate and balanced main meals. Hınız noted that "snacks are a dietary behavior shaped by modern life rather than being a physiological requirement," pointing out that this habit does not hold the same importance for everyone.

Stating that the common belief that a healthy adult must have a snack every day is not supported by current scientific data, Hınız indicated that nutritional routines should not be established solely based on the clock. Mentioning that people should not eat just because it is time, without experiencing a feeling of hunger, Hınız added that individuals who want to lose weight and have difficulty controlling their appetite at dinner could consume a small snack before the main meal, in which case the purpose is to support appetite management. Stating that the idea that eating in small amounts and frequently keeps the metabolism constantly active is a nutritional advice from the past, Hınız expressed that increasing the number of meals cannot be said to provide a metabolic advantage.