Wellness Challenge: Improve Your Chewing
Why Chewing is so Important
Chewing food is the first step in the digestive process. Digestion is the process of breaking down food, absorbing nutrients and excreting what is left over. Most of us tend to have poor eating habits that begin with how we chew our food.
Chewing is important for three reasons:
1) When we begin chewing, our nervous system sends signals to the stomach to prepare for food. These signals allow our body’s digestion process to take place.
2) Chewing stimulates the release of saliva which contains amylase. The enzyme amylase begins to break down carbohydrates in the mouth which creates less work for the rest of the digestive system.
3) Chewing puts food into smaller pieces which creates less stress on the entire digestive system. This ensures better breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients.
Challenge
The next time you eat, try to chew your food at least 20-30x’s before swallowing. Some foods like raw carrots or animal protein may take more than 50 chews before the food is broken down into smaller pieces ready for swallowing. By counting your chews you will also be more focused on enjoying your meal and less likely to be distracted by screens or swallowing in a rush.
