(Diabetes) Do you eat too quickly?

Managing your eating habits is essential for blood sugar control. Research has shown that the speed of your meals is just as important as the type and amount of food you consume.

 

Two-Line Summary of Today's Diabetes Letter

 

1. The faster you eat, the faster your blood sugar rises.

2. Enjoy your meal slowly and leisurely.

The faster you eat, the higher your risk of diabetes.

 

 

Several studies have shown that eating too quickly increases the risk of diabetes. A study by researchers at Miyoshi Central Hospital in Japan was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. They examined the relationship between eating speed and the development of diabetes in 1,083 adults with an average age of 51.2. First, the participants filled out a questionnaire containing questions about their eating habits and physical activity. The researchers then divided the participants into slow, medium, and fast eating groups and followed them for five years. The results showed that the incidence of diabetes in the slow, medium, and fast eating groups was 2.3%, 6.5%, and 11.6%, respectively.

A research team at Fukuoka Medical University in Japan analyzed the eating speed of 4,835 adults without diabetes, and found that the group that ate quickly had a 2.1 times higher incidence of diabetes than the group that ate slowly.

 

Causes blood sugar spikes

 

How does the speed of eating affect blood sugar? When you eat quickly, nutrients are absorbed quickly, which causes a rapid rise in blood sugar. This is called a "blood sugar spike." Then, when blood sugar suddenly drops, you feel hungry, which increases your risk of obesity. Hormones that induce satiety only signal the brain about 20 minutes after eating. If you finish your meal before you feel full, you may find yourself reaching for other foods afterward. Fast eating habits lead to obesity, and obesity leads to diabetes.

 

Even for those already diagnosed with diabetes, meal speed is crucial. Professor Yang Yeo-ri of the Department of Endocrinology at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital stated, "Unlike healthy people, diabetic patients have a reduced ability to secrete insulin." She added, "Frequent blood sugar spikes caused by fast eating increase the risk of diabetic complications." Eating quickly increases postprandial blood sugar levels, which in turn increases daily average blood sugar levels, increasing blood sugar variability and raising glycated hemoglobin levels.

 

You should eat leisurely and evenly

 

It goes without saying, but chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly for 20 to 30 minutes. Professor Myeong Seung-kwon of the Department of Family Medicine at the National Cancer Center says, "Chewing your food longer will lengthen the mealtime and help you feel more full. Chew each bite at least 30 times and try to eat as slowly as possible."

 

Another strategy is to eat foods that slowly raise blood sugar levels early in the meal. Professor Yang Yeo-ri explains, "Koreans tend to eat rice first during meals," adding, "This causes carbohydrates to enter the digestive system first, rapidly raising blood sugar levels." For blood sugar control, it's best to eat protein (fat) → dietary fiber → carbohydrates in that order. You should also avoid the habit of mixing rice in water or soup.

 

Here are some dietary tips for healthy blood sugar levels!

1) Carbohydrates: Protein: Fat in a ratio of 4:3:3

2) Control your food intake by using a small bowl.

3) Eat slowly, chewing food at least 30 times. 4) Take a walk for 20 to 30 minutes an hour after eating.

 

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It seems like employees eat lunch in about 10 minutes.

So I reduced the amount of rice

I think it's definitely easier to eat faster because I've reduced the amount of food.

 

I don't think it's easy to eat lunch slowly at work.