If you want to take care of your health, the type of food is important, but how you eat also matters. Developing a habit of slowly and thoroughly chewing food helps prevent various diseases. We explored how the habit of chewing thoroughly benefits your health.

 

◇ Prevention of overeating, for digestion

 

The habit of chewing slowly and thoroughly helps prevent overeating. Chewing slowly and thoroughly not only breaks down food into smaller pieces but also stimulates the secretion of a large amount of saliva. The amylase in saliva contains enzymes that break down fats. This enzyme rapidly decomposes starch into sugars. When the blood sugar level reaches a certain point, a signal indicating fullness is sent to the brain's satiety center.

 

Therefore, the more you chew, the more full you feel, and the less you chew, the easier it is to feel hungry. In fact, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, chewing almonds 25 to 40 times reduces hunger compared to chewing only 10 times, and nutrient absorption is also improved.

Chewing slowly and thoroughly also helps with digestion. Amylase is a mildly alkaline enzyme that helps maintain the appropriate acidity level in the stomach and duodenum. Therefore, the highly acidic gastric acid secreted in the stomach effectively suppresses the impact on the esophagus and duodenum, preventing conditions such as esophagitis, ulcers, and gastritis.

 

◇ Dementia Prevention

 

Chewing food thoroughly can reduce the risk of developing dementia. Moving the jaw increases blood flow to the brain. This allows a large amount of oxygen to be supplied to the brain, improving memory and concentration, thereby preventing dementia. In fact, a research team from Kyushu University in Japan announced a study showing that a habit of not chewing food well slows down blood circulation in the brain and increases the risk of vascular dementia.

 

Meanwhile, when chewing food, keep your lips closed and chew thoroughly. If possible, it is good to chew at least 32 times slowly for each bite. Depending on the type of food, you may need to chew more. When you feel that the texture or shape of the food is no longer perceptible, it is then safe to swallow.

 

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I saw someone... really consistently keeps chewing.

There are also many on TV...

This is overeating.

I thought it was only related to digestion and dieting.

 

Dementia prevention?? I've never seen this before.