The benefits of a slow meal

In some countries and cultures, lunch or dinner can last for hours. People sit at the table with their large families and talk, eat and drink until late in the evening. In fact, the average American spends just over an hour a day eating. Some breakfasts and lunches last only two minutes. But is fast food a problem? Should we worry? The answer is yes, and there are several good reasons to learn to eat slowly.The reasons are slow

By slowing down your food intake, you can gain potential health and wellness benefits. You are also more likely to enjoy your meal.

Increases food satisfaction

One obvious benefit of eating slowly is that you will taste more of the food. If you double the time it takes to eat, you will feel more of the taste, texture, and smell of the food you are eating. Your food will become more interesting and delicious.

Promotes weight loss

When you eat longer, you can learn to give up food faster. You may notice that you have eaten enough and the extra piece is no longer needed.

In fact, a slower diet is associated with a lower body mass index (BMI). Studies have shown that eating gradually improves the feeling of satiety (feeling full and satisfied after eating).

Eating slowly can also help you remember exactly how much food you've eaten.

Provides the best food selection

When you slow down the pace of your meal, you have more time to make more thoughtful food choices. This is a good thing, because the more you pay attention to your food, the more you allow yourself to choose nutritious and healthy foods.

Many empty-calorie foods are heavily processed by food manufacturers. They often contain a lot of sodium and sugar. These products are carefully designed by culinary engineers so that they taste great after the first three bites.

On the other hand, natural foods do not contain added sugar or sodium (unless you add them during cooking). They have a simple but delicious taste and texture. If you take a bite of strawberries, you will feel a splash of juice, just like with oranges, and nuts and some vegetables are delicious crunchy!

Improves social connections

Eating can be a social event. Food is a time when people get together and spend time together. When dinner was over, everyone left. By spending more time eating, you will be able to communicate more with friends and family, and improve and strengthen relationships.

Improves digestion

If you eat more slowly, your stomach will have more time to start working on your food. If you put all the food in your stomach in five minutes, you may experience indigestion. Instead, take 20 minutes to eat the same amount of food.

Your stomach will be much easier to work with. Eating more slowly can also cause you to chew more food, which will give your stomach a head start in the digestive process.

Prevents stomach overflow

Researchers have found that it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to produce the hormones that tell your brain that you are full. If you slow down, you will have more time to feel full. This gives you a better chance to stop before you "fill your belly to the brim".»