A major problem these days is the lightning pace at which tasks have to be accomplished. This includes the pace at which food should be consumed. People just eat too fast. Research shows that eating slowly can reduce the amount of calories consumed.

We were always told by our mothers to eat at a slower pace. We were told to chew our food and take out time. Apparently, eating slowly has a lot of benefits. Apart from preventing choking, eating slowly could also avoid adding to your waistline.

Eating Slowly Affects Satiety and Amount of Calories Consumed

Researchers wanted to study if how fast one eats affects the amount of calories consumed. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The researchers studied 30 healthy women. They looked at how the speed at which they ate affected their satiety. In conclusion, researchers found that the women who ate fast had a lower Satiating Efficiency Index. The Satiating Efficiency  Index provides a method of comparing how different foods induce satiety.

Women who ate at a slower pace also had higher pleasantness ratings. Another interesting finding was that women who ate at a slower pace also consumed lesser calories. The researchers further concluded that the amount of calories consumed before you begin to feel full can vary significantly depending on how quickly you eat.

Overeating When One Eats Hastily

Researchers know that consuming a meal causes the release of certain hormones in the gut that act on the brain. These hormones induce a feeling of fullness and satisfaction. A study was published on the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2010.  Researchers wanted to look at the concentration of appetite-regulating hormones released and how this corresponded to the speed that which one ate.

Researchers looked at 17 men who each consumed 10 ounces of ice cream. The men were tested at two different occasions. In one occasion, the men were asked to eat the ice cream in 5 minutes and in the other instance, to eat in 30 minutes. The researchers then took blood samples at 30 minute intervals from the point that they started to eat to 210 minutes later. The researchers were measuring the levels of gut hormones in response to the meals.

Those who ate at a slower pace also had their appetites reduced more pronouncedly. They felt more full and satisfied.

Calorie Dense Meals

The available research clearly shows that eating slowly increases the level of satiety, satisfaction and fullness. There seems to be a lag time between the release of the gut hormone and when the signals are picked up by the brain. We can eat a significant amount of calories by the time our brain senses satiety. As a result of this, people over eat even when they are already stuffed. That is why the satisfaction level was reduced. You are never satisfied if you are too full.

The problem lies with overeating calorie dense meals that are readily available these days. Calorie dense meals never existed in the time of our ancestors. Natural food is not calorie dense.

Take Your Time to Eat

Be aware of your food consumption habits. Ask your friends or spouse if you eat too fast. If you do, make a conscious effort to slow down the pace. Go a step further and time your meals. Once you know your time, try to pace yourself. Eating slowly could help reduce your waistline.