The speed at which you consume food is just as essential as what you eat. Eating slowly can help you lose weight as well as keep it off. It will also improve your digestion and enjoyment.

Neither eating too slowly nor too quickly is recommended by Ayurveda. Eating mindfully is thought to enhance blood sugar regulation since it aids digestion. Emotional eating and eating too fast can contribute to irregularities and anomalies in the body's digestive system.

The significance of taking your time while you eat:

One of the most essential advantages of eating slowly is that it allows your body time to realise that you've had enough food. The brain sends out signs of fullness approximately 20 minutes after the meal has begun. That's not even how long most people eat! Slowing down when eating might also help you feel more fulfilled, which is distinct from simply being "full," according to one study.

Eating slowly also aids digestion, which is why it's important to eat slowly. As the digestive process begins in the mouth, huge portions that aren't properly chewed will make digestion more challenging. An unprocessed food item might cause indigestion and other GI (Gastrointestinal) problems.

Eating slowly helps you eat less, according to the majority of studies on this issue. As an added bonus, slowing down your eating might help you ingest a greater amounts of water your meals.

Is it harmful to eat quickly?

Research shows that people who eat quickly gain more weight over time than those who eat slowly. Stop and take a breather if you want to lose weight or maintain it.

Rapid speed eating is a contributing factor in binge eating disorders. Compulsive eaters frequently feel that they have no control over their eating habits. Just try to slow down as soon as you realise you're in the throes of a binge or an overeating session that seems overpowering.

Suggestions on how to eat mindfully

Sit down at the dinner table in a quiet, distraction-free area. You shouldn't eat while you're driving, watching TV, or tinkering with your electronics. Pay attention to what you put on your plate.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, which require extra chewing time because of their high fibre content, are a good choice.

Take a break from using your utensils in between bites and rest them on the table. Take a deep breath and reflect for a moment. Breathe. While eating with others, take some time to strike up a discussion.

Set a minimum number of chews per mouthful to see if it helps. At first, this may seem unusual, but give it a shot and see what happens. It would help you digest and send satiety signals to your brain.

To save space, serve your food on smaller dishes. In order to reduce the amount of food on your plate, you should use smaller plates.

Find someone else who is a slow eater and take it easy with him or her.

Aim for a mealtime of 20-30 minutes every meal. To avoid being distracted when eating, make a schedule for your meals and stick to it.