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When you think about where to begin with improving your digestion, you might consider adding fiber, probiotics, and other supplements to your daily wellness routine. Or you might start eliminating fatty meats and rich dairy, cutting out processed foods entirely, or ditching one of the 7 Habits That Worsen Acid Reflux.
But did you know that one of the most overlooked digestive habits has nothing to do with what you eat, but how you eat it?
We’ve all been told, “Slow down and chew your food.” It turns out that classic dinner table advice stems from more than just good manners. The moment you take a bite, your body starts preparing for the digestive process. Could something as simple as slowing down and chewing your food more thoroughly support better digestion and even help with acid reflux?
Let’s find out!
Digestion Starts in Your Mouth
Your digestive system carries out an incredibly coordinated process, and your mouth is the starting point. We know chewing physically breaks food down into smaller pieces, which increases the surface area of the food. This makes it easier for digestive enzymes to work on as it moves through your digestive tract.
But did you know that chewing has a chemical component as well?
Saliva itself has several enzymes that jump-start digestion as they begin to break down starches and carbs. It even contains a natural antibacterial enzyme called lysozyme, which acts as a first-line defense against infections by breaking down the cell walls of bacteria. Saliva also produces sodium bicarbonate, an alkaline buffer that neutralizes acids on contact.
When you chew, you’re also giving your body signals that it’s time to begin preparing for digestion. The sight, smell, and taste of food prompt your body to start producing more saliva and prepare the stomach for the meal ahead. Much of this communication happens through the brain-gut connection, with the vagus nerve carrying information between the brain and digestive organs.
Think of your vagus nerve as the body’s superhighway, connecting your brain to your gut. And one way to support healthy vagal function is by making sure your body has the nutrients it needs, including magnesium. For a highly absorbable, triple-magnesium formula, try Acid-Kicking Magnesium to support digestion from the very start.
Chewing and the “Rest and Digest” State
Another reason why the way you eat matters involves your nervous system. When you’re rushing through a meal due to stress or urgency, your body prioritizes the “fight or flight” response and diverts energy away from processes like digestion.
Chewing slowly stimulates the vagus nerve, which supports your parasympathetic nervous system. This is often called the “rest and digest” state because when you’re calm and relaxed, your body is better able to devote more resources to processes like digestion.
Instead of eating on the go or while taking calls and answering emails, intentionally take a few moments to sit down, breathe, and slow your pace during your meal. You might notice an improvement in both your digestion and your overall stress level.
What Happens When You Don’t Chew Your Food Thoroughly?
We’re all guilty of eating too quickly. We take a few large bites, barely chew them, swallow, and immediately move on to the next bite. Digestion still happens, but your digestive system is having to work with larger pieces of food. Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening when you rush through your lunch:
1. Larger Pieces of Food Reach Your Stomach
By chewing thoroughly, you’re breaking food down into smaller particles before you swallow. Swallowing larger particles means there’s less overall surface area for digestive enzymes to work with.
While your stomach is designed to keep breaking down food, thorough chewing starts the process ahead of time. By chewing thoroughly, you’re doing important prep work before sending your food off to the next stage of digestion.
2. You Swallow More Air
You’re much more likely to swallow excess air when you eat quickly, which can actually contribute to digestive discomfort and may worsen reflux symptoms.
Just like eating too much food, swallowing excess air causes the stomach to expand and increase pressure inside the stomach. This pressure may make it easier for stomach contents to move back into the esophagus.
3. You May Overeat Before Your Body Has Time to Catch Up
You might have heard this before, but we’re often “full” before we notice it.
This is another reason slowing down can be helpful: it gives your brain time to catch up to your stomach. Chewing thoroughly naturally slows the pace of your meal. Taking more time between bites makes it easier to notice how hungry you actually are, so you are less likely to overeat.
How Many Times Should You Chew Your Food?
I recommend chewing each bite twenty-five times, and you should even chew your smoothies!
Initially, this simply gets you into the habit of thoroughly chewing. You’ll start to notice the texture of your food when it’s really been broken down, and before long, this becomes second nature. The goal isn’t to count every chew forever, but to develop an awareness of what thoroughly chewed food feels like.
5 Simple Ways to Start Chewing More Thoroughly
Put Down Your Fork Between Bites
This is one of the simplest ways to slow down. After taking a bite, put your fork or spoon down instead of immediately queuing up the next one. Finish chewing, swallow, and then pick it back up.
You’ll be surprised by how much this small habit changes the pace of your whole meal.
Take Smaller Bites
A smaller bite is easier to chew. Simply reducing the amount of food in your mouth at a time means your food is further broken down before it ever reaches your stomach.
Taking smaller bites also slows down your meal, which gives you time to notice when you start to feel full so you don’t overeat.
Minimize Distractions
This doesn’t mean ignoring your lunch date or eating in complete silence when you’re alone. Be present with the people you’re with, and try putting away the screens when you’re eating by yourself. Watching videos or scrolling during meals can make it easy to lose track of how quickly you’re eating.
When you can, give your meal your full attention. Notice the smell, flavors, and textures. You might naturally start to slow down when you’re really experiencing your meal instead of just consuming it.
Notice the Texture
Instead of just counting your chews, take time to really notice how your food changes as you chew. Pay attention to whether it’s still chunky, dry, stringy, or difficult to swallow. Keep chewing until it feels fully broken down and easy to swallow.
Give Yourself Enough Time to Eat
When you’re rushing through meals, you’re unlikely to chew slowly and thoroughly. But when you only have five minutes to eat lunch before getting back to work, or when you have to leave the house in ten minutes for your kid’s soccer practice after dinner, you’re probably going to be scarfing down whatever is in front of you.
So whenever possible, give yourself enough time to sit down and eat without rushing. Inevitably, some meals will likely be more hurried than others, but planning ahead to add even an extra five minutes to your meal makes it easier to slow your pace.
How Does Chewing Affect Acid Reflux?
If you experience acid reflux, start paying attention to the way you’re eating. Many people think acid reflux is simply the result of too much stomach acid, but the opposite is actually true. Acid reflux is often caused by too little stomach acid. When your stomach doesn’t produce enough acid, food isn’t fully digested and remains in the stomach longer. This partially digested food can start to ferment, resulting in pressure buildup that pushes stomach contents back into the esophagus.
Chewing thoroughly may not eliminate reflux on its own, but slowing down during meals is part of a holistic approach to supporting healthy digestion from the very first bite.
Here’s a quick recap of how chewing affects acid reflux:
- Chewing thoroughly breaks food into smaller pieces. This gives your digestive system smaller particles to work with once food reaches the stomach.
- Slowing down your meal prevents overeating. When you eat quickly, it’s easier to consume more than your body needs before it has time to signal to you: “We’re full.” Larger meals increase pressure on the stomach, which may contribute to reflux.
- Eating slowly may reduce how much air you swallow. Rushing through your meal often leads to swallowing more air, and that excess air may increase pressure and contribute to reflux symptoms.
- Chewing stimulates saliva production. Saliva starts the digestion process in the mouth and produces sodium bicarbonate, which is an alkaline buffer that neutralizes acids as they enter your mouth.
Slow Down and Let Your Body Digest
Sometimes it feels like life demands us to hurry up. There’s always one more thing to do, one more place to get, and mealtimes often get cut in half in our efforts to fit everything into the day.
But your digestive system wasn’t designed to be rushed. Supporting better digestion really does start with something as simple as slowing down and chewing your food. Some meals will inevitably be rushed, and that’s okay. But during your everyday routines, being intentional about giving your body the time it needs to process what you eat can make a huge difference in digestive health over time.
So the next time you sit down for a meal, take a deep breath, slow down, and don’t forget to chew your food.
