Modern life encourages fast eating – quick lunches at desks, rushed breakfasts, distracted dinners with screens. When you eat quickly, your body barely gets time to register what’s happening, which can affect digestion and hunger control.
Chewing properly breaks food into smaller pieces, giving stomach and intestines an easier job. Saliva starts digestion in the mouth, especially for carbohydrates. If you swallow large chunks quickly, your digestive system has to work harder, and you may feel more bloated or uncomfortable.
Fullness signals also take time. It can take 15–20 minutes from the start of a meal for your brain to fully register that you’ve eaten enough. Fast eaters often overshoot this window and realise they’re “too full” only after the plate is empty.
Practical tips include putting cutlery down between bites, taking sips of water, and consciously noticing flavours and textures. Try to make at least one meal a day a “no screens” meal.
Eating slowly is not about being strict; it’s about respecting the body’s timing. Over days and weeks, many people find they feel better and may even reach for slightly smaller portions naturally.