The benefits of eating slowly and how it can help you lose weight

Brenda Braslow, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES)

As French women may tell you, there are several benefits to eating slowly. And the best one? You may lose weight! Read on to discover how.

The benefits of eating slowly

Where digestion really starts

Did you realize that digestion actually starts in the mouth? It serves as the start of the entire digestive tract. From that first bite, that first taste, chewing allows your body and its fluids to break down food. Effective digestion includes eating slowly to help your digestive system perform its best. In addition, if you suffer from heartburn, it is helpful to chew well and eat slowly because the stomach won't need to produce as much stomach acid to break down the food.

Give your taste buds a chance

Taste buds allow us to experience sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors. The average person has 5,000-10,000 of these tiny sensory organs on their tongue. Chewing food longer gives taste buds a better chance to perform. Your nose also plays a part in enjoying foods. As you chew, the food releases chemicals that travel up into your nose. The receptors inside signal the brain about the flavor of a food. Perhaps you can see how eating slowly can therefore increase the pleasure of eating even the most ordinary foods. All foods taste better when you take the time to appreciate the subtle flavors you might otherwise miss.

It takes time for your brain to say, "Hold it, all full!"

As you eat, your gut releases hormones that get absorbed into your bloodstream. Eventually, the brain detects these hormones and processes the information as hunger or fullness. A gut-brain signaling system drives eating when you are hungry and alerts you to stop eating when you are full. It takes about 20 minutes for this communication to happen, so eating more slowly benefits you when you notice the fullness signals and are comfortably full. When you eat quickly, it becomes easy to overeat and stuffed to the brim before noticing that you are full. So, eating slowly can help you lose weight if you often consume extra calories by eating past "full."

Don't miss the joy of eating

Have you ever inhaled your food so fast that you couldn't remember eating it? You are not alone. If you're a fast and furious eater, work on being mentally present while eating so you can truly enjoy your food completely while you slow down to appreciate it.

A "silent lunch" is a common group exercise at mindful eating conferences. Imagine a group of people eating together in silence. Without the distraction of conversation, each person can fully savor their food. Yes, it may sound awkward and unusual, but often the result is a valuable, "eye-opening" experience.

Ideas for eating slowly and savoring your food

• Center yourself and start the meal relaxed. Take a few deep breaths to become calm and centered before you begin eating.
• Express gratitude. Take a moment to reflect and give thanks for your food and the nourishment it provides.
• Admire the food. Notice the colors, textures, and arrangement.
• Savor the aroma. Smell the food. Remember, the nose helps us fully taste food.
• Stay connected while eating. Notice the temperatures, flavors, ingredients, seasonings, and textures.
• Eat with a utensil and put it down between bites.
• Eat one piece of food at a time instead of a handful when eating foods such as nuts, seeds, popcorn, chips, crackers, chocolate, sweets, etc.
• Sip beverages instead of gulping.
• Avoid distractions such as reading, TV, computer, or multi-tasking. If you listen to music, pick slower tempo songs. Eating with fast-paced music can increase the speed at which you eat.
• Pause in the middle of eating. Create a "speed bump." Ask yourself how much more food it will take to fill you. Don't be surprised if you realize you are already full.
• Notice when your taste buds become less sensitive. It may be a sign that your body has had enough food.

My curious husband asked me what topic I was writing about this time. When I told him it was about how eating slowly benefits us, He said, "Right, so you don't choke." Well, that is yet another practical reason to slow down while eating.

Still new to MyNetDiary? Learn more today by downloading the app for FREE.