Why should we eat slowly?

Do you eat quickly and swallow your bites without chewing enough, especially when you are very hungry? Or do you have a habit of eating your meals fast even if you are not very hungry? If your answer is yes, we can say that you are not alone. Many of us can get carried away while eating, swallow our bites big and quickly get up from the table without realizing it. However, research shows that eating fast can cause many negative conditions. The habit of eating fast, which causes undesirable consequences from digestive problems to uncontrolled weight gain, not only threatens our physical health, but also affects our mental health by triggering stress. Knowing the negative effects of eating fast unknowingly or knowing the answers to the questions why we should eat slowly can help you gain the habit of eating slowly. Let's take a closer look at the harms of fast eating and then the benefits of slow eating.

How does fast food affect our health?

Learning about the health effects of eating fast can be an encouragement for you to gain the habit of eating slowly. Swallowing large bites of food without chewing adequately and hastily wiping the entire plate away can lead to many health-threatening ailments.

Obesity

It takes about 30 minutes after eating for the brain to receive the satiety signal. When we eat fast food, it does not allow enough time for the signals of the satiety hormone to reach the brain, so we can feel that we are not full when we eat fast. For this reason, we tend to eat more as we eat fast. Eating more than the body needs can also lead to health problems that can reach obesity as well as weight gain. Many studies show that people who eat fast food have a higher risk of obesity.

High insulin resistance

The habit of eating fast affects holistic health negatively from different aspects. Scientific research also points out that eating fast is linked to a higher risk of insulin resistance and is the basis for a variety of metabolic disorders, from type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular diseases. A study highlights that fast eaters face a 2.5 times higher risk of diabetes than slow eaters.

Digestive system ailments

Eating fast food also negatively affects the digestive system. Digestive problems such as bloating and indigestion, which are perhaps the most obvious health problems, are thought to be related to fast food. If you are instantly wiping your food and experiencing indigestion problems, the reason may be fast eating fluidity. As we know, digestion first begins in the mouth and then continues in the stomach and intestines. For this reason, when the food is eaten in large bites and quickly without chewing it in the mouth, a very large part of the digestive task is left to the stomach. This situation paves the way for bloating, gas pains and similar digestive system problems.

Choking hazard

Another issue that adults may not worry about, but that we should pay attention to at least as much as we do for children, is the danger of drowning. Eating fast food increases the risk of choking. As adults, we need to take care to eat slowly against the danger of suffocation, just as we offer their food in small pieces, teach them to eat slowly, and show them to chew, against the danger of choking, which is perhaps one of the situations that we worry most about children's nutrition.

İncreased stress level

In addition to physical negativities, fast food also increases stress levels. Since all the ailments mentioned above can make you feel bad, it also paves the way for the stress you feel to increase. How possible is it to feel good with an already bloated stomach? When you consider all these, you can motivate yourself to eat slowly. In the continuation of our article, you can find what eating slowly gives us and useful tips for gaining the habit of eating slowly.

Benefits of eating slowly

Do you wonder what will change in your body when you start eating your meals slowly? First of all, it is important to know that the secret to eating slowly is to chew food thoroughly. Although experts say different numbers between 20-30 on this subject, the majority thinks that it is appropriate to chew food 32 times before eating. Another common recommendation is to chew harder foods such as meat and nuts 40 times, and swallow watermelon or soft, water-filled foods after 10-15 chews.

When you eat slowly by chewing your food enough, you allow the time necessary for the satiety signal to reach your brain and you can get up from the table by eating less. Therefore, you reduce the risk of unnecessary calorie intake and obesity. On the other hand, eating slowly prevents problems such as bloating and indigestion by regulating the digestive system.

In addition to physical improvements, eating slowly is also a great mindfulness exercise. Eating slowly, which is an effective practice of the concept of mindfulness, which we are accustomed to hearing in many different areas, helps you to live a more stress-free, calm and peaceful life. In addition, by bringing attention to the moment, eating with awareness also increases the pleasure of eating.

How to gain the habit of eating slowly?

By giving your full attention to your food, you can gain the habit of eating slowly with suggestions that will help you swallow your bite without rushing:

• Do not eat your meals in front of the screen. Put your television, computer, tablet and phone aside while eating.

• Drop your fork between each bite. This can help you slow down and savor every bite more.

• Don't be too hungry. When you feel very hungry, you may unconsciously tend to eat faster. To prevent this, you can try a long-term feeling of fullness with healthy snacks in your snacks.

• Sip your water while you eat. Drinking water during meals can help you feel full and slow down.

• Make sure you chew your food adequately before swallowing. Counting how many times you chew each bite can help. Aim to chew each mouthful of food about 20-30 times.

• Take small bites. Smaller bites can help slow your rate of eating and make your food last longer.

• Plan your mealtimes. If you eat quickly because you can't find enough time, plan your day more effectively and try to allocate the necessary time to your meals.

All these steps can encourage you to eat more slowly. For your health, remember to chew a lot and eat slowly. Stay healthy…