During nutrition school last week I heard a lecture from Andrea Beaman regarding complex carbohydrates and she mentioned that in order for our bodies to attain the all of the nutrients from grains, we must chew it at least 25 times. I am not new to the concept of chewing your food thoroughly before swallowing but for whatever reason I never thought it was to get all of the goodies from the food.
With that in mind, every time I eat I am now consciously noting how often I chew.
And I have to admit, I do not chew a lot at all!
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| yummy homemade pizza |
In fact, I usually chew on a forkful of food a handful of times before I swallow and shove the next fork in my mouth OR wash the remnants of the food with whatever I am drinking at the time. I am sure you’re not envisioning a very graceful lady right now and frankly, I agree.
Sometimes I blame my weight on the fact that I love food “too much”. But if you love something, you treat it with care, right? True love for something manifests into attention. If you are not attentive to the moment, love is not possible. So the logical conclusion is that if I really LOVED food I would take small bites, chew it slowly, bring absolute mindfulness to each bite, and try to prolong the pleasurable experience as much as possible. But clearly that is not what I do. Instead, my habit is to eat quickly and large mouthfuls, gulping water to cleanse the palate which enable me to eat faster.
Sadly, I do not think I am alone. Am I right?
The great part of chewing your food more and not chasing it with a beverage is that not ONLY do you get more out of the food, but you also eat less. Makes sense, your body has more time to tell you that you are full. By eating until you are comfortably full rather than stuffed, you start behaving in ways that show you respect your body’s needs.
The first step is to be transparent with yourself regarding your behavior. Then change can occur. Want to make the change with me?
Namaste.
No, you are not alone in this. When I notice myself shoveling in the food, I usually hear my father saying, "Chew your food, don't just swallow it!" Now I will hear the gentle reminder, "Love your food." Much more affective trigger.
Thanks for posting this before lunch. Ha! We've all heard a million times to slow down when you're eating and not eat while watching TV or at the computer. So naturally, I read this post while eating lunch at my desk while doing a bunch of other things too.
However…I made quite an effort to chew longer and not pick up my water between each bite. Minor accomplishment thanks to you!
I have tried on and off through the years to adopt a macrobiotic approach to chewing with some success. Reminders like yours keep me on the right track!