Answered by Neva Cochran, MS, RD, LD

Q: How does water speed up your metabolism?

A: A study reported in the December 2003 issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, found that drinking two cups of water increased metabolism by 30%, equal to burning 24 extra calories. So drinking eight cups of water (or any cool calorie-free beverage) daily would burn about 100 calories or enough to lose 10 pounds a year. According to the researchers, 40% of the increase in metabolic rate was due to warming the water from 72º to 98.6º F. (22º to 37º C.)

Q: What’s the best way to develop a routine having six meals a day?

A: Plan ahead and be prepared. If you’re not accustomed to eating mid-morning and mid-afternoon, you may need to write it on your calendar or set an alarm clock to remind you. Then have easy-to-fix foods available like fruit and yogurt, peanut butter and crackers, a lean meat sandwich on whole grain bread, raw veggies and low fat cheese and cereal with milk. Again, if you want to sleep well make your night time meal one that is higher in carbohydrates.

Q: What’s the better snack to have past 8:00 PM -- protein or carbs? Why?

A: If you want to sleep better, go for carbs. That’s because carbohydrates stimulate production of serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter that relaxes and makes you sleepy. Eating a high protein snack has the opposite effect. It increases alertness. Also, carbs leave the stomach faster than protein so you won’t go to bed feeling full.

Healthy, high-carb snacks to eat: one ounce of pretzels, a piece of fruit, six whole grain crackers, one cup of dry cereal, six vanilla wafers or four graham crackers. Don’t go too heavy on the carbs either, if not those extra carbs will turn into fat.

Neva Cochran is a registered dietitian and nutrition communications consultant in Dallas, Texas.For more information, click here to visit her website.

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