While there is much thought put into figuring out what foods are good and 
bad to eat, did know that how you chew them can have a significant effect on the nutritional value?
It’s true. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition researchers found that chewing almonds longer led to a variety of unexpected benefits.
Benefits of more chewing
The study was conducted to see what affect chewing might have on the nutritional value of almonds. They looked at factors including appetite & hunger, hormone response, and fat absorption. 13 people were recruited to do the study and they ate and chewed 55g of almonds either 10, 25, or 40 times. Here’s what they found.
1. The more people chewed, the more full they felt.
2. The more people chewed, the less hungry they felt 2 hours later
3. More chewing led to greater absorption of fat & nutrients
Are you chewing enough?
I tend to eat really fast which probably results in over-eating. If you chew your food more it’s likely that you’ll eat less and feel less hungry for longer. This should lead to eating less food, losing some weight, and most importantly becoming a faster joggler! Oh yeah, and living longer too.
So, science proves it…Chew more!
Incidentally, I really love the title of this scientific paper “Mastication of almonds: effects of lipid bioaccessibility, appetite, and hormone response”. I became a scientist just because I like saying long words.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I always ate fast, cause if I didn’t, my brothers and sisters would eat all the seconds and I would get none. Eat first, talk later!!
It’s a habit I am breaking.
Similar experience.
At age 18 I ended up in the army (compulsary at the time).
Only free time you had, was time saved by eating fast.
Almost 20 years later, and I havn’t broke the habit yet.
I tend to end up at a formal dinner with 20% food left on my plate when the other just started, and then pace myself extra slowly not to embarrass myself.
Next time I eat, I’ll keep your advice in mind.
It’s challenging. Since I wrote this I’ve tried to chew more. Strangely, food is starting to taste a bit different. I can actually taste the sugar in breads.