I’ve been thinking a lot about chewing.
During last month’s smoothie challenge, I talked about chewing smoothies (yes, really!) to ease digestive stress.
At home, the girls like to have chewing contests to see who can chew their food the most number of times before swallowing. They’re counting from 4 to 20 chews, depending on the food.
Did you know that ideally we should be chewing a minimum of 20-30 times per each bite of food? Some experts say that 40-50 bites are ideal. And I’ve heard stories about monks who chew to 100. That’s a lot to chew!
What chewing does is truly incredible. When your teeth start doing some of the work they were designed for, enzymes in your saliva begin to break down your food so that the rest of your body can receive the nutrients and minerals from that food.
Here are 3 good reasons to chew, chew, chew:
- If you aren’t chewing well you’re not digesting your food well, which means you’re not transforming it into energy.
- Chewing your food gives your body time to signal to your brain that it’s no longer hungry, which means you’re eating less food and less likely to overeat.
- Taking the time to chew your food is one of the easiest ways to eliminate gas, bloating and indigestion.
If you’re looking for something good to chew on that’ll help quell that digestive distress, try fennel seeds. Find a jar in the herb section of your local market and keep it handy in your handbag for some on-the-go relief.
This week’s Simple Action Plan
Join me for a chewing challenge! This week, remember to slow down, savor your meals, and chew, a minimum of 15 times a bite.
Sometimes, it’s not just what we eat, it’s how we do it.
