Mindful Eating

Today’s “Ask the Nutrition Consultant” question comes from Jessica!

Q: There’s so much yummy food at holiday gatherings and I find I tend to eat quickly, and eat more than I need. Then I’m uncomfortable for the rest of the party and sometimes end up with heartburn. Do you have any tips to help slow down my eating?

A: Great question Jessica! This is a common complaint and I have dealt with that uncomfortable feeling after overeating myself. Slowing down and chewing well is extremely important for good digestion, and can eliminate many of the digestive complaints people suffer from (heartburn, bloating). 

How exactly can we slow ourselves down when we have a plate full of delicious food though? One simple thing you can do is put down your utensils between bites. So, you take a bite of food, put your fork/knife down, chew that bite until it’s an almost applesauce consistency, and swallow before picking up your utensils and taking another mouthful. You can follow this same tip if eating something like a sandwich, burger, piece of pizza etc. – you would put the entire sandwich etc. down on the plate until you chew and swallow one bite. 

This is a simple tool to use to help you eat more mindfully, slow down your eating, improve digestion, and savor each delicious bite even more!