In our faced-paced lifestyles, many of us eat our food quickly and mindlessly. However, eating slowly can help you feel fuller and lose weight. People who eat quickly tend to be heavier and gain more weight, over time, compared to slower eaters.
Hormones play a major role in controlling appetite and calorie intake. Certain hormones relay messages to the brain to signal you’ve just eaten and nutrients are being absorbed. This reduces appetite, makes you feel full, and helps you stop eating. The process takes about 20 minutes. But, if you eat too quickly, your brain doesn’t have time to receive or process these “fullness” signals.
Eating slowly can decrease the amount of food consumed at each meal. One study showed fewer calories were consumed at a slow-paced meal than at a fast-paced meal, although the difference was greater in the normal-weight group of participants. Additionally, all participants also felt fuller longer after eating more slowly, and were less hungry 60 minutes after the slow-paced meal than after the faster meal.
Another benefit to slow eating is you’ll be chewing your food more thoroughly before swallowing it. Your body can more efficiently absorb and utilize the nutrients in the food when it is thoroughly chewed. The saliva generated in your mouth offers enzymes that help digest your food – particularly carbohydrate-rich foods. When you thoroughly mix and coat your food with your enzyme-rich saliva, it combines with the enzymes in the food, allowing more thorough and efficient utilization of the nutrients in the food.
Other benefits to slow eating also include: increasing your enjoyment of the food; improving digestion and reducing or eliminating digestive problems like bloating and flatulence; promoting stronger, healthier teeth; and assisting in feeling calmer and more in control, which can reflect on how you respond to stressful situations.
To avoid becoming extremely hungry, eat regularly and have snacks handy. Eliminate distractions while you eat, until eating slowly becomes a habit. Concentrate on chewing your food and savouring each mouthful. When you notice you are eating too quickly, stop and take a few deep breaths to help you refocus.
With practice, eating slowly will become habitual.
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Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publication and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics.