Research has shown that children who eat too fast, eat more, and therefore are more prone to obesity. It is believed that eating too fast interferes with the body’s signalling system that tells the brain that you are full, and to stop eating when the stomach becomes full.
Experts have even developed a device called a ‘Mandometer’ to slow your eating down. When used with children it showed that kids learned to eat slower and as a result felt fuller and ate less.
However there is no need for fancy devices. Here is some general advice to get the most from your meals:
Try not to ‘shovel’ your food.
Savour the flavour and make sure you taste your food.
Try to chew and swallow before picking up the next mouthful.
Fast eating can also be a cause of indigestion, as when food is not chewed properly your stomach has to do much more work. This can lead to nasty indigestion and heartburn.
So what’s the rush? If you’ve made a nice meal, do it justice, and give it some time!
By Cara Cunningham, MINDI, community dietitian. For more information on diet and nutrition, please contact the Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service, HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster on (044 ) 9395518 or email [email protected].
