Rediscovering the benefits of eating slowly and chewing your food well

I used to eat slowly. This changed after our twin grandchildren moved in with us. Children are always in a hurry, they run to gymnastics or band practice or activities with friends. When children eat fast, I tend to eat fast: it is an unconscious response.
Unfortunately, the consequences of gobbling food are painful. It may take a few minutes for a piece of food to slide down my esophagus and I thought I might choke. I also worry about my esophagus. Was I one of those older people with a shrinking feeding tube? After I started recording the times I ate too fast and chewed too little, I realized that it happens when the twins are at the table.
Eating fast and not chewing your food properly can cause acid reflux (which is not fun) and swallowing problems. This is why many nutritionists, dietitians, and fitness experts promote healthy chewing. Kelly Reith, BA, RHN cites some of the benefits in an article on the Macrobiotic Guide website, “Chewing Right: Your Salivary Glands Allied for Life.” Chewing starts the body’s digestive process. Your teeth grind food for digestion. But if you don’t chew well, “you can feel the food ripping and scraping your throat,” Reith explains. She thinks the body uses less energy to digest well-chewed food. I am now in the process of  zdrowie rediscovering the benefits of eating slowly and chewing well. The biggest benefit, it seems to me, is that I can taste and appreciate my food. What a great deal!

The Kitchen website lists some of the benefits of well-chewed food in its article, “The Science Behind Chewing Food Properly.” Saliva breaks down fats and starches with enzymes, the article notes, and poorly chewed foods are partially unprocessed foods, so it feels sluggish. “It does you no good to choose a healthy diet and not be able to receive its benefits,” the article concludes.
Fitness expert Brad Linder examines chewing in his article, “Chewing Food Is Nutritional Advice That Can Help You Lose Weight And Improve Health.” When he chews his food properly, Linder says that he eats less. Eating slowly also gives your brain a chance to realize that you are full.
Does it hurt to swallow? Has food got stuck in your esophagus? Is eating just a fuel stop? These tips will help you eat slowly and enjoy your food. First, cut the food into small 1/2-inch pieces. Chew each bite of food well. You don’t need to chew it a specific number of times, but you should be aware that different types of food require different chewing. The steak should be chewed more thoroughly than cooked carrots, for example. For saliva to work, you must even chew yogurt. The moral of this foodie story: Take the time to savor the colors, flavors, and textures of the food.