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Chewing Your Food is One Nutrition Tip That Can Help With Weight Loss and Improving Health

By Brad Linder

Did you ever hear the correlation between chewing your food and weight loss and improving your health? I am sure everyone can remember their parents telling us to "chew each bit" or "chew your food." This highly important nutrition tip is probably one of the most overlooked tip and one of the hardest steps to change.

As a modern-day society we are all pressed for time always doing things quickly and hurry to accomplish basic tasks.br>
This includes eating on the run, on the go and zooming into the drive-thru line, and more times than not, eating as fast as we can. The idea of sitting down for a relaxing meal that focuses truly on the enjoyment and nutritional benefits of foods takes second fiddle.

When people think digestion they most often think of intestines and stomach juices. The truth is that the digestion process actually begins in the mouth. The process of chewing is a vital component of the digestive process. The action of chewing mechanically breaks down very large amounts of food molecules into smaller particles. This results in food having increased in surface area, an important contributing factor to good digestion. Chewing your food well allows the food to be exposed to your saliva for a longer period of time.

Food's being in contact with saliva is not just important because it helps to lubricate the food, allowing for less stress on your esophagus, but because saliva contains enzymes that contribute to the chemical process of digestion. Carbohydrate digestion begins with enzymes in your saliva breaking down some of the chemical bonds that connect the simple sugars that comprise starches. Also, the first stage of fat digestion begins in your mouth with the secretion of enzymes by glands located under the tongue.

So what are some benefits to chewing your food thoroughly? br>
There are many great health benefits from chewing each bite thoroughly before is goes down the esophagus. Chewing food fully aids in the proper transport of nutrients in your body. The benefits of your body getting all the nutrients it needs are endless. Digestion is directly linked to the health of our cells, and all parts of the digestion process are crucial to being healthy.

Considering everything starts in the mouth, it is crucial to chew each bit thoroughly. Chewing each bit forces you to slow down, pay more attention to what you are eating, and be in the moment. This will be very strange and different at first. Another benefit is that you will not eat as much food when you chew each bite thoroughly. When you are eating slower, your brain can tell you that you are full, causing you to eat less. This helps to prevent the heavy feeling that sometimes follows a meal and it also will help you lose body fat since you are not eating as much.

What are some of the side effects of not chewing thoroughly? There are a number of side effects that can occur from improper chewing and grinding of food. Poorly digested food means poor absorption of the vitamins and nutrients that the foods you are eating provide. You may be eating a healthy snack or meal, but if it is not being chewed properly, than you are possibly not getting all the nutrients of that healthy food. Your body needs those vital nutrients to help you have energy, to function, and to help keep you healthy.

Eating rapidly and swallowing large mouthfuls contributes to the reflux which can damage the lining of the throat and esophagus. About 44% of Americans experience reflux or heartburn at least once a month, 20% have it every week and 7% suffer from it daily. Other side effects include flatulence, indigestion, heartburn, gas, IBS, and other discomforts. Chewing each bit thoroughly allows less air to enter in which decreases gas and burping. With an increasing number of individuals with IBS, constipation, abdominal spasms and bloating, chewing food could possibly prevent a number if these daily discomforts.

For people who have trouble chewing foods, it may be helpful to cut food into small pieces and to allow extra time to chew food at a comfortable, unhurried pace. For people who just do not have the time to eat and chew each bit, a well-balanced meal replacement shake is a good alternative.

Again, chewing thoroughly takes some time to get used to and will be strange at first. Making a conscious effort to start benefiting from chewing will be a start. A lot of people say chew a set number of times before swallowing your foods. I do not believe there is not a number because different foods are more easily chewed. If you understand the benefits associated with chewing thoroughly, you will start today.

About the Author:

Brad Linder is the President of Get You In Shape Fitness, a health and fitness company in the Dallas, TX area. His company provides fitness boot camps, personal training, the 40 Day Challenge, nutrition plans, more in the Dallas, TX area. His website is www.GetYouInShape.com