Children are usually the ones we worry about the most when it comes to not chewing their food properly but surprisingly some adults also suffer from this bad habit.
This is sometimes due to intense work/life schedules that lead to rushing to do other things and not having enough time to sit down and chew every meal they have properly.
While not chewing food properly might not sound like a big deal, there might be health issues that may arise from it.
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Reasons to chew your food properly
Digestive problems
Not chewing food properly can lead to many digestive issues. It causes heartburn, constipation and acid reflux. Chewing is a pre-digestive process wherein you are already breaking down the food to be utilized for your body. When you don’t chew your food, you put your body through the whole process of digestion wherein it will use up a great amount of energy.
Poor absorption of nutrients
When the food isn’t chewed properly, it leads to poor digestion and poor absorption of vitamins and minerals in food.
Increases the risk of food poisoning
Food poisoning is another risk that comes with not chewing properly.
Mood swings
When the digestion of food isn’t completed, it could cause gas to fill your stomach and this could make you uncomfortable, causing you to have a sour mood.
Weight gain
When you don’t chew your food properly, or eat too fast, it is making you prone to weight gain. This is due to a basic understanding that the longer you take to chew, the longer you take to finish eating, which, in turn will help you to eat or consume less. Research has proven that the longer you take to eat, the lesser you eat in terms of quantity.
Written by Bongiwe Mati for Bona.
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