How much are you actually chewing the food you put in your mouth? Are you sure you aren’t just chewing a little and swallowing the rest whole? If you’re not sure, then youshould start now. Just by paying more attention to the way you eat, chewing your food more than usual, can benefit your diet and help you lose weight, slim down your face, and live a healthier lifestyle. Let’s take a look what you’re missing out on.
Chewing your food better allows you get full while eating less
While chewing your food, your body excretes saliva. This saliva breaks your food down into sugars. Then, the sugar broken down by your saliva can then be absorbed by your body,entering your blood stream increasing your blood sugar even before you swallow your food. In effect, this fires up organs signaling your body that it is full.Taking your time chewing your food allows your body to signal that it is full, which prevents you from overeating.
Conversely, when you don’t chew you food enough, breaking down food into sugar takes more time,resulting in a delayed response from your body telling you that you are full. As a result, you become more prone to overeating.
Just by chewing your food a little more than usual can it be possible to eat less and feel fuller after eating. So, the next time you find your self sitting and asking yourself if you are eating too much, take your time and think about it, chewing your food. After giving it some thought the answer will surely come to you.
Religiously chew your food no matter how devilishly small
You should have to count how many times you chew your food. However, you shouldn't be swallowing your food whole either. Even when the food you are eating may seem too small to sink your teeth into, give it a try. While you are chewing, your mouths saliva then can break down your food into sugars, leaving a sweet sensation in your mouth. When the time is right (after giving chewing a go) then you can swallow your food. "The devil's in the details," as they say and so is it in the food you eat if not chewed properly.
By swallowing you food whole, not only are you missing out in flavor, you are missing out on the whole world of medical benefits chewing has to offer. Continue on and you will see why.
Medical benefits to chewing you food
The benefits you get out of chewing your food are not limited to preventing you from overeating. The following are medical benefits you get also.
- Fight off cancer
- Cavity prevention
- Resistance to Alzheimer
- Stress relief
Chewing your food can help you fight off cancer!?
Explained previously in the beginning of this column, saliva has the effect of breaking down foods while in your mouth enhancing absorption into your body.
However, theeffects of your saliva don’t stop there. Based on the research findings of Prof. Hajime Nishioka at Doshisha University in Japan, saliva minimizes the damage of carcinogens (cancer forming substances) found in your food have on your body. It was discovered that (in 30 seconds) saliva can kills off carcinogens found in your food.
So while eating be sure to chew more, lapping up your food with as much saliva as you can,preventing harmful cancer forming substances from entering your body. Help in the fight against cancer, chew your food.
Chewing you food better means less trips to the dentist
You can never get enough about chewing your food, exposing your food to your saliva is good for you. As you might have guessed this next benefit is dental. After eating, food is left in your mouth melting dental enamel on the surface of your teeth. When enamel melts the result is acidic. This is what causes your tooth to decay. Saliva has an effect of neutralizing enamel, making it less likely that you get cavities.
Chew (sugar-less)gum to produce more saliva and eliminate tooth decay. Note that chewing gum should not be done in place of brushing your teeth. Try to do both.
How to turn any food into brain food by chewing more
The act of chewing takes a considerable amount work from the muscles around your face. It turns out that the work you do around your face extend towards your brain. Chewing improves the blood flow to your brain, which helps boost brain activity. By increasing activity in your brain, you are less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s.
In the same effect, chewing gum while you study can help you concentrate better and remember what you learn.
Bite down on your stress – chewing gum
Chewing and stress relief have been shown to be connect. Results form research observing how people react to obtrusive (stressful) noises when chewing gum have show that people who chew gum deal with increased stress better than those who don’t.
This is why even while stress, chewing gum gives you preoccupy your mind with while you think over more important matters. Moreover, people are able to just about anything while chewing gum. As a precaution, you may want to refrain from chewing gum during exercise.
Besides helping you eat less, making your diet work out, the activity of chewing you may now know has many benefits that go along with it. These include helping your fight off cancer, keeping your mind more alert, and getting through stressful situations. Even if you feel that you are too busy to chew on your food you should take your time and keep in mind all the benefits chewing have to offer.
