Any “respectable” gourmand can vouch that food is meant to be properly appreciated and enjoyed, and not chomped down like the Apocalypse is just around the corner. With all this, the reality is, as many nutritionists and health experts have already pointed out, that most of us are far too famished when we sit down at the table to restrain ourselves from eating hurriedly. Regardless of that, this is just the time to stop and chew our food more times, they also point out.

Chewing is not just the process that stands between our hunger and the feeling of satiety, experts warn, since not chewing food properly can have, in time, some very negative effects on our health. Not only that, but it also prevents us from enjoying our meal, while also leading to overeating, on the account that, by wanting to finish quickly, we do not allow our body to react to the food ingested.

One of the first benefits of chewing our food well is that it’s an act that tells the rest of the gastrointestinal system to start the digestive process, as experts explain. It also contributes to breaking food into smaller particles, which makes digestion much easier. Also, by not swallowing large chunks of food, we avoid embarrassing moments like indigestion, bloating, gas and the more painful stomach aches. Chewing food properly also ensures that it is better imbued with saliva, which contains enzymes that also aid digestion.

Chewing food well also prevents bacteria, health experts say, since it eliminates the risk of incomplete digestion, which, in turn, can be caused by swallowing larger pieces of food. It also helps us better appreciate our food, since we get to savor every flavor properly, while also preventing us from overeating. Taking our time with food has benefits both for our health and our diet, it is being said. A little test that we can perform to see whether we’re currently chomping our food as we should is to try to identify the food in our mouth by texture.

If we can, then we meet the “chewing standards” set by nutritionists and doctors. Contrarily, if we can’t, then this is just the time to start taking it slow.