There’s a lot of talk about what we eat and how it impacts our health. But what about how fast we eat? Is this an important factor that we should take into consideration when we talk about healthy living?
According to studies, the English take only 41 minutes a day to eat their meals, while the Americans take an average of 74 a minute. We are, after all, busy people, obsessed with saving time as much as we can. But is it healthy?
Studies have shown that gobbling your food can lead to obesity or to metabolic syndrome, both of which increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
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When you eat really fast what happens is that your digestive system cannot keep up and you end up overeating, because you don’t give your brain the opportunity to realize that you are already full. But if you give your digestive system at least 20 minutes to do its job, your digestion will improve significantly.
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Not to mention the fact that you will enjoy your meal more if you slow down, since it gives you the time to savor it.
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Here are some trick you can try if you want to adopt the healthy habit of eating slower:
- Eat high fiber foods, since they are harder to chew.
- Put down your cutlery while you chew.
- Eat your meal with a slow eater, you will be inclined to mimic them.
- If you eat with somebody else, talk to them, since it gives you little pauses between the bites.
Make a habit out of eating slower, your body will thank you later! Please, share this!
