In our modern world, we have the habits of eating between meetings, errands and daily chores. But actually taking the time to eat slowly, and thoroughly chewing food, can have profound benefits for digestion, weight management and overall health.
Why You Should Eat Slowly — Here Is Why
And when people don’t take breaks, they can eat too much and overload their digestive systems. Eating slower helps your body digest food the way it’s meant to be digested, so it will be smoother and more pleasant. Chewing well breaks food into smaller pieces, which allows enzymes in your saliva to help initiate the digestive process before food even reaches your stomach.
Satisfaction: How Eating Slowly Makes a Difference
One of the most important benefits of eating slowly is on satiety—the sensation of fullness. It takes about 20 minutes for signals from the stomach to communicate fullness to the brain. When you eat too quickly, you may eat much more than your body needs before you realize you are full. That can result in eating more and gaining unwanted weight. You start eating slower to savor each bite and you give your brain time to see when you are full and that makes portion sizes cut naturally.
Benefits of Thorough Chewing
Chewing your food well is better for your digestion and absorption of nutrients. Vegetables are usually a hard structure and so by the time food is properly broken down, stomach and intestine have an easy job doing their job, thus, minimising the risk of developing bloating, indigestion and other digestive disorders. Also, canvassing for longer is a mindfulness practice that lets you savor more flavors, textures and scents, resulting in a more rewarding experience at the table.
Tips to Eat More Slowly
For those who may wolf down their food, here are some practical tips to slow down:
- Take smaller bites: Cutting up food into smaller pieces makes it easier to chew them down more thoroughly!
- Savor each bite, and put your fork down in between bites: Practicing this simple habit stops you from rushing to take another bite before finishing chewing the one before it.
- Pause to hydrate between bites: A few sips between bites can assist in slowing down your meal, plus it can help digestion.
- Talk a lot: Eating meals in company, especially social meal times invariably slows the rate at which you are eating.
- Set a timer: Challenge yourself to make those meals last 20 minutes so you chew and digest appropriately.
Conclusion
Eating slowly and chewing more is an easy and minor lifestyle adjustment that can actually go a long way in improving your digestion, preventing overeating, and increasing satisfaction from meals. You will help support your overall well-being and develop a healthier relationship with food by eating mindfully. So next time you sit down to a meal, slow down, chew thoroughly, and savor every bite.
