We are a rushed and distracted society that seems to be so busy we do not seem to take time to eat a nice meal and really enjoy the food.
I have watched people in restaurants dive into their food like it was a death row last meal.
They take a giant bite of a burger, chew that monstrous mound in their mouth about three times, then swallow.
How does ones’ digestive system handle baseball-sized food balls?
I suspect with some difficulty.
A plus for eating bite-sized pieces slowly is you get to really taste the food and some of the nice ingredients that went into creating the dish.
There is so much good taste in many of the foods we can grow locally or purchase at food stores around town, it’s a shame to gobble them down quickly.
If we take time to chew each bite of food about 20 times or more we will certainly send more pleasure to our tastebuds.
Eating more slowly helps us feel more satisfied, which is different than just being full.
When we slow down in our eating it means more time to savour the meal and appreciate each bite, so when we leave the table we will feel good, even if we only ate a bologna sandwich.
One of the most important benefits of eating slowly is that it gives our bodies time to recognize that we’re full.
Apparently it takes 20 minutes from the start of a meal for the brain to send out signals that we are satiated.
Heck, a lot of folks’ meals don’t last that long.
Apparently eating in a hurry causes weight gain in people, one of the reasons we are an overweight society.
Also, on the topic of enjoying food, I know that cleaning our tongues before eating will allow those wonderful tastebuds to really enjoy the experience.
And, when we take time to eat, we can enjoy those eating with us.
You know, like good old family meals where everyone sat down at once to enjoy the meal.
In this new year, enjoy your food and cooking.
Ken Wilson is a freelance columnist with the Tribune/Weekend Advisor.
