Being slow : Is it sometimes healthy!

Over the years it has been a debate on how to eat food .Is it advantageous to eat slowly or Is it vital to gulp food or be a fast eater ! Certainly , a recent study suggests that to dropping those unwanted pounds eating slowly helps. The study also states to inculcate two lifestyle changes that are helpful ; they are

          a.  Avoid eating anything after dinner

          b.  Eating anything 2 hours before going to bed

The study also showed comparison between of smaller waist , lower rates of obesity and overweight by these two simple lifestyle changes. According to the stastical analysis, slow eaters were compared with those who gobbled food they had shown 42 percent less likely to be obese. Also, slow eaters were more healthier and had more active lifestyle as compared to fast eaters or those who ate at normal speed.

Moreover, to keep an active lifestyle , staying healthy and in losing weight practices that have mindful approach plays a vital role. In addition to it ,eating slowly is characteristic of more mindful approach.

Also one of the study suggests , eating quickly does not give much time to brain to catch up with body, this habit end of to eating more than the hunger.

Lets sum of the benefits of eating slowly :-

1. Avoid indigestion

Eating food slowly helps in avoiding indigestion and heartburn. This may be attributed to the fact that chewing more for each piece of food. The size of piece going down will be smaller therefore, the body will find easier to digest smaller pieces as compared to large chunks sliding down the oesophagus.Also, when chewing less slowly -there is less swallowing of air which would prevent from indigestion also, the commonest cause of indigestion is swallowing too much air that causes oesophageal sphincter to open which thereby, allow stomach acids to come back up and out of the stomach and into throat or chest. Henceforth, eating food slowly helps in better digestion and avoid heartburn.

2. Better Absorption

The first of digestion is chewing of food. The mouth contains enzymes in the form of .Saliva helps in breaking food that further helps in absorption of vitamins and minerals by body into blood stream . Moreover, when the food is properly chewed in the mouth, it provides a helping hand to your stomach in digesting the food. Therefore, more micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) get absorbed by body. Henceforth, that will lead to more benefit from food and have healthier system that has more resources available to it.

3. Helps to eat Less

Researches have shown appetite and calorie intake are controlled by hormones. Ghrelin hormone controls hunger which gets to suppress normally after eating. Anti-hunger hormones like cholecystokinin peptide YY and glucagon peptide are activated by Ghrelin .These hormones further give message to brain that the process of eating is over as well as nutrients are being absorbed. The whole process of activation of hormones take around 20 minutes ,therefore slow eating to give brain the time it needs to receive these signals.

4. Increase satiety hormone

Researches have shown ,there is increased level from to anti hunger hormones that occurs while eating slowly.Also, satiety hormones increased significantly after eating slowly and further reported feeling fuller after eating.

5.  Decrease Calorie intake

Studies show fewer calories intake of slow paced meal that leads to further weight loss over time.

Ways to slow down the pace of eating

     + Avoid extreme hunger

     + Increased chewing

     + Drink lots of water

References

1.  Ohkuma et al. Association between eating rate and obesity: a systemic review and metaanalysis.Int J obes 2015 Nov,39(11):1589-96.

2.  Shah M et al. Slower eating speed lowers energy intake in normal weight but not overweight/obese subjects. J Acad Nutri Diet, 2014 Mar; 114(3):393-402.

3.  Andrade et al. Does eating slowly influence appetite and energy intake.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act,2012 Nov 21; 9:135.