Why is chewing so important?

Food should be chewed until it becomes pulpy and the taste completely spreads throughout the mouth. Chewing normalises the amount of food consumed by a person. Eating quickly fools the body because more food gets into the stomach during a shorter amount of time. Inadequately chewed food will actually increase the time needed for digestion.

On average, people chew their food 8 times and they stuff the next bite into their mouth even before swallowing. This is unacceptable! Food needs to be chewed thoroughly and a minimum of 20 times so it can mix well with the saliva.
Ample amounts of saliva will help the stomach so it does not have to increase acid production. Chewing will also exercise the jaw and associated muscles.

Give it a try! Take a big bite of food and chew 20 times! In the beginning, it will seem to be a long time. You may want to swallow it after chewing only 10 times, especially if you are used to eating quickly. Chewing needs to be practised so the muscles learn to work faster. In a few days, you will witness remarkable changes. You will be rid of excess digestive burdens and your whole body will be exhilarated from the additional energy gained this way.

Always praise your children when they chew thoroughly!