When was the last time you ate something and thought, how long should I chew this for? Probably never, as it’s just a habit or unconscious reflex. As soon as food enters your mouth, you chew and swallow, probably far too quickly (especially if you are in a hurry or eating on the run, right!) Well there is some wisdom I would like to share with you and here are some reasons why if you chew your food right it can really change your quality of life.  

1. Maintain a healthy weight- The longer we chew, the more time it will take to finish the meal, and especially when looking to lose weight eating slowly can help you eat less and avoid weight gain. It normally takes about 20 minutes for your brain to signal to your stomach that you are full, and this explains why people generally feel fuller when they decrease their eating speeds.

2.Easier digestion- The chewing process predigests your food into small pieces until liquefied, as it makes it easier to digest. Digestion is actually a very demanding task for your body, requiring a great deal of energy, especially if forced to digest improperly chewed food. Chewing the right way allows your stomach to work more efficiently and break down your food much faster. 

3. It prevents diseases- Sounds strange but chewing is fundamental for disease prevention. By chewing your food completely, you support your body in digestion. By properly digesting and absorbing food you can expect increased energy; much better nights sleep and increased focus.  

 4.Less Excess Bacteria in your Intestines- When chewed food enters your stomach, it may remain undigested when it enters your intestines if improperly chewed. Then the bacteria will begin to break it down leading to gas and bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pains, cramping and other digestive problems.  

5. Its good for your teeth- You know the bones holding your teeth get a workout when you chew, which helps them to stay strong. Now the saliva produced while chewing is also beneficial, helping to clear food particles from your mouth and wash away bacteria so there may be less plaque build up and tooth decay.

6. Enjoy and Taste your food- I think this is very important if you rush through your meal with hardly any chewing, you’re also not really tasting or enjoying the food and who wants that?  When you take the time to properly chew your food, it forces you to slow down, savour each bite and really enjoy all the flavours your food has to offer.