TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Anytime we eat, our parents always remind us to eat slower. But has it ever crossed your mind why we are reminded to do so?
A study was conducted by a team of researchers from Hiroshima University involving 642 men and 441 women with an average age of 51.2 in a period of five years. None of them had a metabolic syndrome at the beginning of the research in 2008.
The volunteers were separated into three categories based on how quick they eat, which is categorized as slow, medium, or fast. Throughout their research, scientists found that 11.6 percent of fast eaters might have a metabolic syndrome compared to 6.5 percent of those who eat at a normal pace and 2.3 percent of them who eat slowly.
Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of health problems or conditions that can cause diabetes, obesity, and coronary disease. The research team concluded that eating at a fast pace is linked to factors such as unhealthy weight gain, high blood pressure, and unstable blood glucose levels.
According to the research, when you spare time to correctly chew and swallow your food, your brain gives time to process the feeling of being full that might send you signals to stop eating and prevents you from over-eating.
The following are three scientific reasons to eat slowly:
1. The research found that eating quickly can increase the risk of obesity and develop the metabolic syndrome.
2. The study further suggests that you must eat slower in order to increase your overall health and welfare, considering that the quicker you eat, the higher the chance for you to overeat.
3. Eating at a quick pace can cause your blood sugar levels to suddenly fluctuate which can trigger insulin resistance.
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