Chewing More Can Lead to Weight Loss

Americans, always in a hurry, should think twice about both how quickly they eat and how often they chew. Both exercises in slowing down could lead to weight loss and better digestion.

Researchers out of Harbin Medical University in China found that slowly chewing each bite of food 40 times, instead of the typical 15, can aid in weight loss and help to combat obesity. If you think about it, this makes good sense. The more time you take to chew, the slower food goes down, and it gives the digestive tract more time to signal that you are full.

The study followed 30 men, almost evenly split between those of normal weight and those who were obese, with the goal of confirming that chew factors affect hormones and quantity of food consumed. The first round of testing fed the group breakfast without any specific instructions. All participants chewed at the same rate, although the overweight group was found to swallow their food more quickly.

The second test fed the group the same meal, but with instructions to slow down their consumption by chewing each bite 40 times. When the participants chewed the food completely, they reduced calorie intake by almost 12 percent. Over the long term, that 12 percent could mean annual weight loss of up to 25 pounds.

By slowing down food consumption, the brain can receive signals from the stomach that it is full and lower the level of a hunger hormone that resides in the digestive tract. Blood tests after the eating challenges proved that the hormone, ghrelin, was present in much lower levels during the slow eating phase.

A study published in the spring of 2008 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed similar findings. A team of researchers out of the University of Rhode Island, Kingston, had 30 women eat the same meal with pasta on two separate occasions. On the first day, these women were told to eat their meals as fast as they could while still being in their comfort zone, with no pauses between bites. The second day, they were instructed to take small bites and but their spoon down between bites. They were also to chew eat mouthful 20 to 30 times.

At the end of the study, on average, the researchers found that the women at nearly 70 fewer calories when they slowed down their eating. They also felt they were more full and satisfied after their meal.

According to lead researcher Ana M. Andrade, there could be several potential reasons for their findings. Besides allowing more time for the body’s signals to start working to make the body feel more full, savoring a meal’s flavors, feeling the textures, and smelling the aromas may also help the people feel more satisfied with fewer calories.