Choose to Chew – It’s Important!

Remember when your mother used to tell you to chew your food?  She was really onto something.  But like so many gems Mom gave us, we didn’t all listen, and many of us still don’t see her wisdom, even as adults.  Sure, we all know we need to chew our food enough to get it down without choking, but most people don’t realize the importance of really chewing your food properly.  It’s perhaps hard for some to believe, but the truth is, a simple change to your eating habits – correctly chewing your food – can have tremendous benefits to many areas of your life.  Seriously.  Here are a few:

1. Reduced gastrointestinal issues.

2. More energy.

3. Clearer mind.

4. Stronger bones.

How can chewing your food do all this?

First of all, as you chew, the enzyme ptylin is realease in your saliva.  This enzyme is important for the breakdown of carbohydrates, and it is only released in the mouth.   Without proper amounts of ptylin being released, other enzymes that are secreted throughout your food’s journey through the digestive tract don’t work as well.  So when you eat grains, beans, vegetables, pasta, bread, and fruits, they aren’t being digested properly if you aren’t chewing well.

The process of breaking down carbohydrates starts in the mouth with ptylin when it converts the carbs to glucose.  The glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream and becomes blood sugar.  You might think, with so many of us trying so hard to reduce sugar intake, that this isn’t so bad.  The thing is though, the organ that uses more sugar than any other organ in the body is the brain.  So the right levels of sugar in the blood are important to brain health.  That’s why when your blood sugar is low you tend to feel groggy, moody, and less alert.  On the other hand, when your brain is bathed in good-quality blood sugar, you feel great.  The key is “good-quality” and that has more to do with what you’re putting in your mouth, but it also has to do with how you chew your food.  When you chew your food 50 or more times per mouthful, turning those carbohydrates into glucose, you give your brain and the rest of your body more of what it needs.  This is also a great way to stave off cravings, as most cravings are due to the brain not getting the glucose it needs.

Another great benefit of liquefying your food through chewing is that the alkaline properties of your saliva end up reducing the acidity of the food you eat.  This is important, because the other way your body balances acidity is by taking minerals from your blood and bones.  That’s how proper chewing can help to reduce bone loss.

Lastly, but just as important, your body simply has to work much harder when you don’t chew your food well.  Digestion is a very energy-intensive process, and even more so when your body has to process poorly chewed food.

So take Mom’s advice.  She probably didn’t even know how important what she was telling you was, but she was right on the money.  Want more information or advice on nutrition and total wellness? Click over to our website and get in contact with our San Clemente Chiropractor office today!

Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt

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