| Every Chew Counts | | | | Chew More for Better Digestion |
| People with digestive problems like acid reflux | | | | T he act of chewing stimulates saliva production. |
| disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and | | | | It also adjusts the pH in your mouth to better |
| diverticulosis live with ongoing discomfort. If this | | | | break down food. And it triggers the release of |
| describes you, one of the first questions you | | | | hydrogen carbonate, protein, epidermal growth |
| should ask yourself is how well you chew your | | | | factor, and prostaglandins. These compounds |
| food. | | | | begin the digestive process. They also protect the |
| New research shows why chewing is so | | | | mouth and esophagus from damage. |
| important. How many times you chew each bite | | | | People with acid reflux disease-a condition that |
| of food affects the nutrients you get. It also | | | | causes esophageal damage-don't have the right |
| affects how full you feel after eating and how | | | | balance of these compounds in their mouths. |
| long a snack or meal leaves you feeling satisfied. | | | | Researchers discovered that teaching reflux |
| While how you chew your food might not seem | | | | patients better chewing habits increased the |
| like a big deal, it has far-reaching health benefits. | | | | protective compounds in their mouth and throat. |
| Such a Little Thing, but the Difference is Great | | | | As a result, they enjoyed a reduction in the |
| Researchers from the Purdue University's | | | | painful symptoms of heartburn. Better chewing is |
| Department of Foods and Nutrition in Indiana | | | | a completely natural solution to acid reflux disease. |
| focused their study on almonds and the effects | | | | (2) |
| of chewing them different amounts before | | | | It will also help reduce irritable bowel and |
| swallowing. | | | | diverticulosis symptoms. The more broken down |
| They chose almonds because your body can only | | | | food is when it reaches your digestive tract, the |
| use many of the nut's nutrients if the almond's cell | | | | better your body will be able to use it and the |
| walls are broken prior to digestion. The | | | | less likely you'll experience indigestion, gas, or |
| researchers gave healthy adults a handful of | | | | bloating after a meal. If you chew better, you'll |
| almonds and asked them to chew them either 10, | | | | feel better. |
| 25, or 40 times before swallowing. They repeated | | | | How you eat isn't as important as what you eat, |
| this over several days. | | | | but it clearly plays an important role in how well |
| The group chewing the almonds 40 times felt | | | | your body uses your food. By slowing down and |
| more satisfied. Their hunger fell below baseline | | | | chewing your food more, you can eat less, lose |
| measurements. Their sense of satisfaction lasted | | | | weight, and digest your food better. It's a simple, |
| longer, too. The body's insulin response and | | | | but powerful change. |
| absorption of healthy fats was also better in the | | | | Discuss changes to your diet, exercise, or |
| group that chewed the nuts 40 times rather than | | | | supplement routine with your doctor. Next week, |
| fewer times. (1) | | | | check back to discover what you can do if one |
| Each of these findings show that chewing your | | | | of the women in your life is diagnosed with |
| food well promotes healthy weight loss. Reduced | | | | ovarian or breast cancer. |
| hunger, a lasting sense of fullness, and better | | | | Sources: |
| insulin response all help to reduce your urge to | | | | |
| overeat. | | | | 1. Cassady BA, et al. "Mastication of almonds: |
| Researchers believe that though their study | | | | effects of lipid bioaccessibility, ap petite, and |
| focused on almonds, the beneficial effects of | | | | hormone response," Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 89(3): |
| better chewing will be seen across most, if not all, | | | | 794-800 |
| foods. | | | | 2. Sarosiek J, et al. |