As you know, digestion starts in the mouth with chewing. Chewing is important, as this is the process of breaking down food into smaller portions.
The next stop in the digestion is the stomach. Food stays there for about 30 minutes and gets broken down further with the help of the acidity in the stomach.
⇒ If you drink water with your food, you risk diluting the acidity in the stomach and hindering digestion.
As food goes into the small intestine, the nutrients get absorbed into the bloodstream. Further digestion happens with the help of enzymes and then food goes into the large intestine. The bacteria there take over and start fermenting whatever is left over of the food. Gas is excreted during this process. So the smaller the part that gets into the colon, the easier the digestion, the less the gas excretion!
⇒ Chewing is important!
Above I talked about the mechanical aspects of chewing. There's more to chewing than just cutting down your food.
Blood sugar goes up after you eat carbohydrates. Insulin is a hormone that's released by the pancreas in response to the increased glucose levels in the blood. Insulin gradually lowers blood sugar by enabling glucose to enter the cells, where it's used for energy.
So what happens, if there's more sugar in the blood than used for energy? It gets stored in little bundles called glycogen in the liver and muscles, and as fat for later use. Your body can store enough to fuel you for about a day. Storing sugar as fat is an evolutionary survival mechanism.
Getting back to chewing: As you eat, your blood sugar rises. Chewing thoroughly and slowing down give your body a chance to catch up with insulin production. Your blood sugar doesn't spike as much as it does when you gulp down your food. There's less excess blood sugar, less sugar storage, and less fat storage.
Also, fast eaters tend to eat more, as it takes time for the body to realize that it's had enough. It's a good idea to put your fork down once in a while and take a break.
Hope you found this little change with a big impact useful. Next time you sit at the dinner table, slow down and enjoy your food!
I want to hear from you: Are you a slow eater or a speedy one?
Stay healthy, stay happy!