Chew chew

“Drink your food, chew your liquids”

Do you remember mum, dad or someone else telling you to slow down and chew? Apart from them worrying you might choke, there is a reason behind that.

Digestion discomfort has been on the rise for years, as well as nutrient deficiencies. While the main reason for this might not be from not chewing your food enough, it plays a huge role.

Most people think of the stomach when it comes to where digestion happens. Plot twist, it actually starts in our mouths, and this is the reason why chewing is a vital part of digestion.

Our saliva contains the first digestive enzymes that your food will reach – amylase. The mouth is also the only place where food is broken down mechanically. The smaller the pieces, the easier to digest. When we don’t chew our food enough, the digestive system becomes confused and may not produce the appropriate enzymes needed to digest properly.

The goal is to chew until you lose the texture of the food.

Studies show that it takes an average of 32 chews for most bites of food - depending on what you’re eating of course. Nuts, steaks, chips, etc might take up to 40, whereas foods like watermelon could be just 10-15.

Also, the faster you eat, the more you eat.

Focusing on chewing more will slow down your pace and reduce your chances of overeating. It takes the brain almost 20-30 minutes to recognize & signal to your belly that you are full. With taking your time, you’ll be able to identify when you are actually satiated. Another benefit here is that you’ll likely end up with more leftovers :)

Nutrient extraction from our food is impaired if our food isn’t adequately broken down, and this is what can lead to malnutrition.

Undigested pieces of food may also serve as food for bacteria in the colon, leading to bacterial overgrowth and flatulence.

More symptoms include:

• Bloating
• Indigestion
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Belching
• Skin problems
• Irritability

Chewing also activates anaerobic bacteria in the grooves of your tongue that help turn the nitrates from your food (especially greens) into heart protective nitrites.

Making this a habit is challenging, but you can bring some amusement to it and incorporate it into your routine to make it easier.

Here are some tips & goals for you to try:

• Test with different foods.
• Be curious - “How many chews will this take to reach baby food consistency vs another bite?”
• Count each chew! I like this one.
• Pay attention to the five senses (sight - sound - touch - smell - taste)
• Use smaller utensils!
• Food should stay on the fork without falling off, so avoid overloading and biting off more than you can chew ;)
• Close your lips and allow your tongue to move food around.
• Don’t rush – if you’re going to be late, plan to eat earlier next time.
• Try out some food meditations and mindfulness techniques. There are tons online, just a search button away.

This fast paced lifestyle we currently face makes inhaling our meals part of the norm. Carve out the time for yourself on this. It may take you 30 minutes to eat your salad, but I can assure you that you’ll notice a huge difference with a little time & effort. You also won’t have to spend money on those digestive enzymes anymore ;)