May 7, 2010

Effects of Rapid Eating

Posted in Category : General Health

In certain countries, meals can last for hours; while in other countries, it doesn’t even last for a few minutes. When there is lot to do and very little time to do it in, you seem to do everything in hurry. This can include eating your food in hurry. You might think whether eating too fast will result in any problems? Well, the answer is yes. There are many risk factors associated with rapid eating.

Effects of Eating Fast

You might end up overeating if you eat in hurry. When you eat too fast, there is not enough time for your hormones to signal that your body is full, so you keep eating more, resulting in greater calorie consumption. Eating too fast is one of the major causes of indigestion. Our body can digest reasonable amount of food, but if you overeat, there is no end to problems it may lead to. Chewing food thoroughly and slowly also helps in the proper digestion of food. When you eat slowly, the food is properly broken down into components that are then is absorbed into the body for nourishment. On the other hand, when you eat fast and swallow the food whole, it becomes difficult for body to absorb the important nutrients.

The first step of digestion starts in the mouth when your saliva gets mixed with the food and converts starch into sugar. If you eat in hurry this process is lost and thus leads to further gastric problems and heartburn. Eating slowly also helps you reduce your appetite, so you end up eating less. You thus save those extra pounds that you will put on from overeating.

Further, when you eat slowly you end up tasting the food properly. You can taste more flavors and relish the food. The meal thus becomes enjoyable and stress relieving. A meal should be enjoyable and stress relieving so that when you get back to work you are fresh. But, the opposite is true if you eat hurriedly. In addition, human beings are social animals. Eating can also be a social event. When you have meals together you exchange thoughts, share views, and so on. Thus, slow eating helps you in maintaining relationships. Slow eating is not harmful, and it can definitely yield many benefits.

Slow eating is the first step towards healthy eating. Rapid eating can lead to many serious health problems. So take care of your eating habits and take time to eat your meals. Eat slowly and save yourself from future health problems.