Do you sometimes feel like you’re wolfing down your dinner rather than savoring every bite? You may be too fast an eater. Although this bad habit may seem harmless, it can actually lead to numerous deleterious effects on health. To learn why you need to take your time during meals and how to forget this way of eatingpsychologist Leslie Heinberg deciphered for la Cleveland Clinic (United States), the underside of fast food.
How do you know if you are eating too quickly? According to the expert, several clues can show that you are eating too quickly, for example, if you finish a normal meal in less than 20 to 30 minutes, which is the time needed to send the signal to the brain that it is full. You may also be an overly fast eater, if you don’t chew well your food, if you don’t take a break between bites, or if you feel uncomfortably fullor that you feel sensations of bloating after the meals.
What are the health risks of eating too quickly?
If eating too quickly does not allow you to enjoy the flavors of each food, this bad habit is also likely to lead to health problems, according to the psychologist. Here are the 5 negative consequences for health that point out.
Difficult digestion
According to Leslie Heinberg, fast eaters don’t chew food enough, which then enters the stomach, which can make it more difficult for the digestive system to break it down. It is therefore common for people who eat too quickly to suffer of digestion problems.
Indigestion and heartburn
Another health problem that can be favored by eating too quickly, indigestion, caused by swallowing air which can then lead to gas bloating and discomfort according to the expert. But it can also facilitate heartburnbecause of the excessive secretion of acid in the latter.
Poor absorption of nutrients
Eating too quickly can also prevent the body from absorbing nutrients effectively contained in ingested food, which can lead to deficiencies over time.
Increased risk of metabolic syndrome
The psychologist then cites the results of recent studies which showed thatfast eating could increase the risk of suffering from metabolic syndromeas high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, excess abdominal fat, or even abnormal cholesterol levels. Furthermore, this condition is a risk factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases or even Type 2 diabetes.
Weight gain
Finally, the expert adds that eating too quickly can to favor weight gain unwantedciting the results of a recent study: “people who ate the slowest had the lowest risk of obesity”. She adds that “thePeople who describe themselves as normal eaters have a somewhat higher risk, but the highest risk is in the fast eaters group”.
Eating too fast: how to slow down the pace? The psychologist’s response
Leslie Heinberg tries to explain the different reasons that can lead to eating too quickly. She cites in particular a busy daily lifecertain emotional factors like the stressor anxiety which can be unconsciously compensated by food, restrictive diets which can push you to eat more quickly, for fear of not eating enough, or even a lack of awareness of feelings of hunger and satiety. It is essential to ask the right questions to understand where this bad habit of eating too quickly comes from.
In order to learn to eat more slowly, the psychologist shared her 4 tips. Here are his tips for no longer eating too quickly and enjoying each of your meals.
Give yourself enough time for meals
If you eat too quickly because your busy schedule doesn’t allow you enough time, correct it to give yourself the time you need for every meal. “People should take more than 20 minutes to eat a meal, ideally around 30 minutesso that the brain has the opportunity to catch up with the stomach”, explains Leslie Heinberg. If this habit is difficult to establish, she recommends setting a timer to stretch your meal time up to 30 minutes.
Slow down your chewing
The expert then advises make sure you chew your food well before swallowing it, so that they do not arrive too large in the stomach. She suggests chewing each bite between 15 and 30 times, or putting down your fork between each bite, so you’re not tempted to take another before you’ve finished it.
Drink water
Hydration is essential to stay healthy, especially during meals. The psychologist therefore recommends drink water every two or three mouthfulsin order to take breaks, stay hydrated, but also to soften the toughest foods.
Eat mindfully
Finally, the expert advises practice mindful eating to be fully aware of your meals, and not get distracted by other parasitic factors. “Small behavioral changes, whether it’s slowing down, not snacking as much, not eating in front of the TV, are all small steps people can take to tackle this problem.”, explains Leslie Heinberg.
