Do you chew or just swallow your food? Have you noticed mindfully? Chewing can seem like an unnecessary chore. Anyway, your stomach will digest the food. So why bother chewing, right? Wrong. Why?
Where does digestion start? In the mouth of course. Our teeth break the food down first, crunching it, and the enzymes in the saliva do their bit in the process.
The more you chew, the more saliva you produce. And saliva is important. It is a vital component of digestion. It contains amylase. What is amylase? It is an important enzyme. It breaks down carbohydrates in your mouth. Saliva also moistens the food, thus making it easier to be swallowed. Have you heard of people choking to death on food? That is because saliva has not acted on it and moistened, making it ready to be swallowed.
Did you know that bloating, indigestion and gas can be eliminated? How? Let saliva act on your food long enough. Chew well. Saliva acting on the food in the mouth processes food enough to be ready for the stomach, thus decreasing the workload on the stomach. Thus, you are less likely to feel discomfort after eating.
The small intestine is a big guy in digestion! It absorbs most nutrients from food. Chewing aids in nutrient absorption in the small intestine. This ensures that essential minerals, vitamins and amino acids are absorbed into the body.
People who are obese or overweight usually gobble down food! They overeat. Chewing food thoroughly prevents overeating. It gives the brain the signal that you have ingested enough food. This helps with portion control and wight management.
Chewing each bite of food lets you experience the shape, texture and taste of food. This enhances your sensitivity to food, and makes your meals satisfying and enjoyable.
Well, you wouldn’t have expected this one, did you? How is chewing related to the development of speech? Well, it turns out that engaging and working the muscles around the mouth through chewing aids in developing the jaw. This can improve the pronunciation and expressiveness of your face.
How is chewing related to the brain? It turns out that chewing stimulates blood flow to the brain, and thus contributes to the development of intelligence in children. It even potentially helps prevent memory loss in adults.
Who likes to sit on the dentist’s chair? No one belonging to the human race relishes that experience. How does chewing reduce your risk of sitting on that chair? Chewing stimulates the production of saliva, which actually serves as a natural mouthwash. It washes away food debris and bacteria.
Here’s the big one. Saliva has an enzyme called peroxidase. This enzyme can suppress carcinogens in food. This has the capacity to potentially reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Chewing helps in promoting overall gastrointestinal health. Why? Because it aids in digestion and activates the functions of the stomach and intestines.
So be smart and chew some gum!
Related reading: Digestive System Facts For Kids
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