Chew more to weigh less!!! It really is that simple. Most weight-loss programs and experts focus on what you eat; few tell you to chew your food properly. They should. Research shows that chewing every bite for about 40 times can help you eat up to 12% less than if you gobbled down your food. The logic is simple: while you eat your food, the stomach and the brain are constantly communicating. The brain will “tell” you to stop when the stomach indicates that it is full. But when you shovel food down your gullet, the stomach does not get enough time to send the “I am full” signal to the brain. By the time it does, you have already wolfed down big quantities. The problem of underchewing is made worse because many of the foods available today have a soft, “pre-chewed” texture, according to Dr. David A. Kessler, M.D. Take french fries, cakes, and cream buns, the fat in them makes them soft and easy to swallow, greatly reducing the need for saliva and mastication. The fiber is stripped from many of the fruits, vegetables and grains today–many supermarket foods are cooked to near mush. All of this encourages overeating. If you slow down and start chewing each mouthful, your stomach gets more time to let the brain know that it has received an adequate amount of food. This practice of eating mindfully, meal after meal, can reduce up to 25 extra pound in a year. While chewing your food a few times more than usual does not sound like hard work, it is not easy as many of us know. Stressed lives and rushed routines make it difficult for us to be mindful of what we are eating and how much. But then again, which change is easier to make? A drastic rethink of what is on your plate, or simply taking a few more bites of what is already on it? What really helps me chew longer is switching off the TV and the computer, closing the book I have been reading, and just enjoying my food in a serene, happy environment. Try it when you have your next meal - let the taste, texture, smell and flavor of your food infuse your senses. You are sure to chew more, eat less, and weigh lesser over time.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 08:23:34 +0000
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