The time spent at the table is dwindling over the years. With a closely related consequence: we eat more than we eat. In addition, we are turning more and more to foods that do not require chewing efforts. However, eating quickly can have quite unexpected consequences. Explanations from Laurent Chevallier, nutritionist.
They are sent in a hurry because of cases to complete or children to look after. For fifty years, the French have tended to rush meals!
Eat too fast? It doesn’t seem dramatic at first glance. Yet the consequences of a hastily swallowed meal are very real. “By not chewing enough, we force our body to produce gastric juice in large quantities. And it is an acidic element, which can in the long run alter the mucous membranes, and cause this famous reflux. gastroesophageal “, warns Laurent Chevallier Nutritionist.
Risks of digestive disorders
The deleterious effects occur in fact on our health because chewing is an essential step in the digestion process. Food must be turned into fine particles before they reach the stomach. However, poor digestion causes a cascade of negative consequences. For example, gastroesophageal reflux disease can over time irritate the throat or damage tooth enamel. Not to mention the risks of digestive heaviness after meals. And for busy eaters who already suffer from stomach ulcers or gastritis, this is one way to make matters worse. “Saliva contains an enzyme called amylase. Its role is to digest starch, that is to say a family of carbohydrates found in particular in bread. If this starch has not been chewed sufficiently, it is completely assimilated and the surplus ferments in the large intestine. With the key to bloating and gas. Hence the interest in taking meals in peace, by resting, and taking your time“, advises the nutritionist.
Bottom Line: If you regularly suffer from intestinal discomfort or stomach aches after meals, slow down.
We eat more when we eat fast
Another drawback: larger amounts absorbed. It takes 20 minutes after the first bite for the brain to receive the signal indicating the start of the meal. If we eat in 10 minutes, we will not necessarily be satisfied because the signals do not have time to arrive, and we risk eating a lot more in terms of quantity than what we really need. And this excess can only lead to overweight in the long term.
By choosing foods that require significant chewing, we are forced to eat more slowly. So this can be a good trick to avoid rushed meals. Additional advantage, we will be less hungry. Eating fast also results from the choice of foods. A sandwich with sandwich bread, for example, can be eaten in a few minutes. While a sandwich with sourdough or wholemeal bread requires you to chew each bite well. And as a result, you can eat less and digest better.
“Eating too fast can also affect the health of your teeth. The more you chew, the more saliva you produce. And this saliva helps protect tooth enamel and eliminate dental plaque among other assets “, underlines Laurent Chevallier.
When you sit down at the table, now take the time to savor and taste each bite, you will only reap the benefits!
Thanks to Laurent Chevallier Nutritionist in Montpellier
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