Chew More Slowly, Lose More Weight

It has been widely postulated that eating slower or completely chewing your food will increase satiety or suppress your appetite.  In medicine and health research, folks often say things based on experience but with our any proof.  For years, my wife has nagged me to eat slower.  My military service and three younger brothers have taught me that if eat faster, you get more food.  The question I have has is there any medical evidence or is my wife just stating her opinion?  

It makes sense that your stomach requires time to register that it is full.  It is sort of like when your bladder is full, and you often have a short flash to bang warning.  There are several studies to show that chewing more and eating slower helps you eat less and potentially lose weight.  

One study looked at the rate of food intake and its effect on gut anorexic hormone release.  This study demonstrates that eating the same meal over 30 min instead of 5 min leads to higher concentrations of anorexigenic gut hormones and favored satiety in obese adolescents.  Slow feeding might become a dietary behavior to be inserted in any educational program for obese patients​[1]​.

A second study looked at yon women and chewing of meals.  The study found that the amount of mastication or chewing increased the thermic effect of a meal (burns calories) and satiety in round women.  There is no reason the believe this is an age or gender-restricted finding.  It might be a useful behavior to control appetite​[2]​.

One last study looked also looks at the rate of eating in healthy women.  They postulate that reducing eating rate is might control of food intake and thus body weight.  It found that energy intake was lower when the meal was eaten slowly and satiety was higher at meal completion in those that ate slower​[3]​.

The bottom line is that chewing more or eating slower promotes satiety or appetite suppression and will result in eating less so it makes sense that it will help prevent weight gain.  

Recommendations for Mastication or Chewing Rate for Weight Loss:

1. Eat slowing will suppress your appetite.   Chew your meal over a 30 minute period and enjoy your food.  Enjoy your meal.  Slow down and taste it.   
2. Chose wisely on what you masticate.  An apple is clearly mroe filling than chocolate.