The harmful effects of eating too fast

I sell groceries so I am very busy, often taking advantage of the quiet times to quickly eat 1-2 bowls of rice, the meal only lasts 5-7 minutes. Many times after eating, I feel very uncomfortable like reflux, indigestion, bloating. Is eating too fast harmful? Thank you doctor. (Nguyen Hoai Ngoc, 31 years old, Ha Dong, Hanoi ).

Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang, Vietnam - Russia High Pressure Oxygen Center, advises:

Many people use the excuse of being busy to eat very quickly. They even finish their meal in 5-10 minutes. However, in terms of health, people who eat quickly are not as healthy as those who eat slowly. Because the habit of eating quickly will cause the body to take in a lot of food without having time to signal fullness. People who eat quickly are prone to excess energy, overweight, obesity, metabolic disorders, and lipid disorders.

This action also causes food to not be digested in time, increases pressure in the stomach, and harms the digestive tract. The body does not produce enough enzymes needed to completely break down food, making it difficult for the small intestine to absorb these important nutrients. In addition, undigested food leads to bloating, diarrhea, heartburn, acid reflux, nausea, etc.

On the contrary, eating slowly and chewing thoroughly will help you feel the flavor of the food. When chewing food, digestive juices penetrate, making digestion easier. Saliva contains mucus protein. This is a type of mucus that lubricates food and helps protect the stomach lining from cancer, especially cancer of the lesser curvature of the stomach. Saliva activates the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, helping it to be ready to receive and digest food.

In addition, chewing your meal thoroughly takes longer, giving your stomach enough time to signal to your brain that you are full, helping you limit overeating and increase your sense of satisfaction during your meal.

On average, you should chew about 30-32 times before swallowing. With soft foods like potatoes and watermelon, you should chew less. With hard foods like steak, grilled beef, etc., you need to chew even longer, about 40 times.

Therefore, the ancients gave advice to chew thoroughly to stay full longer. A meal should last 20-30 minutes. You should eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and eat with a small bowl and spoon. Meals should have a lot of fiber to help you eat more slowly.

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