This January, we’re on the search for quick, accessible hacks to kickstart 2023 in the strongest way possible. Today’s nutrition kickstarter: is eating too fast bad your health?
Sitting down for slow, relaxed meals while savouring our food is the ideal way to eat. But in this busy, modern world, that’s not always possible. Many of us wolf down work lunches while sitting at our desks, munch snacks on the go or rush our food at home before heading out. If you’re not one for multitasking meals, you might still be prone to eating your food at an alarming speed. It may have taken 30 minutes to cook, but it’s gone in under 10.
Does it matter if you’re a fast eater? Can our guts cope with speed eating? Or is speed more a question of social etiquette rather than health?
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Four reasons eating too fast is bad for your health
It interferes with digestion
Saliva contains enzymes that break down starches and fats, so not chewing your food for long enough means you’re missing out on part of the first digestive process. Research suggests we need to be chewing the average piece of food 30 times (though tougher/softer foods may require more/less than that).
“Fast eating is linked to several health issues, one being poor digestion,” explains nutrition coach Fenella Hemus.
“Signs of this are acid reflux (indigestion) and stomach cramps – over time, this can cause inflammation, which eats away at the stomach lining.
“Our stomach cannot cope with large chunks of food, so it doesn’t get digested properly, and when we ‘inhale’ our food we take in more air, which produces more gas, causing bloating.”
You lose nutrients
As well as digestive discomfort, failing to chew your food properly may mean you’re not making the most of whatever you’ve consumed.
“Once swallowed, food moves to the gut, where digestive juices and enzymes break it down further,” explains Dr Claire Shortt, nutritionist and lead scientist at FoodMarble.
“If food hasn’t been broken down sufficiently by chewing, then these steps are under pressure and fewer nutrients may be extracted.”
Symptoms of nutrient deficiency can include unexplained fatigue, hair loss, weight loss, dry mouth and increased bruising.
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Speed eating makes it harder to recognise feeling full
The brain needs some time to receive messages from the stomach about how full it is, and eating fast can interfere with that messaging system. You’re less likely to eat intuitively if you can’t tell how full or hungry you are.
“It takes a full 20 minutes for the stomach to register fullness and suppress the hunger hormone ghrelin,” says Hemus.
“The brain also becomes less accurate at measuring what we’ve eaten previously that day, so we’re more likely to overeat at the next meal. Over time our body forgets the true sensations of fullness, sending inaccurate messages to the brain instead.
“When we eat on the go, there’s a tendency to eat quickly and make less nutritious choices, too.”
Interestingly, research shows that prolonged chewing at mealtimes decreases snack intake later in the day, while a number of studies have also revealed that fast eaters are up to twice as likely to be obese than slower eaters.
It increases your risk of metabolic disorders
As well as digestive issues and weight gain, fast eaters are also more likely to develop insulin resistance, where the cells in your fat, muscles and liver fail to respond properly to insulin that’s been released. This means that glucose in the blood cannot be used for energy, which increases blood sugar levels that can lead to further problems.
“Over time this condition may put you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” advises Shortt.
“In one study, those who ate slowly versus those who ate quickly were 1.5 times less likely to have insulin resistance.
“As eating quickly can lead to insulin resistance, this increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease.”
A three-year study of 8,941 people revealed a significant link between fast eating and metabolic syndrome, while separate research over five years showed that fast eaters were 11.6% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome.
How to eat more mindfully
Speed-eating lunch at our desk or on the go can be a stressful experience – it’s far better for our body and mind to sit down and eat our food slowly and mindfully.
Mindful eating involves creating a relaxing atmosphere to eat meals in – this can be as simple as clearing clutter and taking a few deep breaths before digging in, to let our body know that it’s time to enter digestion mode. It’s then important to chew properly and savour each bite, which allows you to fully appreciate your food. In fact, feelings of gratitude are linked to elevated mood and decreased stress levels. Stress can negatively impact digestion, so taking time to chill out before each meal will have a positive effect on your gut.
As Shortt says: “Slowing down and being mindful when we eat can make a big difference to our health.”
Images: Getty
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