Eating Slowly Can Aid in Weight Loss

Eating slowly and drinking water while eating aids in weight loss, according to a new study.

Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow claims that eating slowly and chewing food thoroughly while sipping water aids in weight loss. The study confirms that this is true and suggests that having smaller bites can make people feel less hungry an hour after they consume all the food. Researchers from Texas Christian University explored the relationship between eating speed and calorie intake by looking at how the former affects calories consumed during a meal.

The researchers also questioned the participants on their feelings of hunger and fullness before and after the fast-paced and slow-paced meals and how much water they drank during each meal. They instructed people to imagine they had no time constraints as they engaged in a slow-paced meal so they did not have to worry about taking smaller bites, putting the utensils down in between bites and chewing food thoroughly. Those who were part of the fast-paced meal experiment were told that they were in a rush so they had to chew quickly and did not have time to put their forks down.

Results showed that people who ate slowly ate on average 88 fewer calories than fast eaters. On the contrary, people who are overweight ate only 58 calories less than average. Professor Meena Shah said: "Slowing the speed of eating led to a significant reduction in energy intake in the normal-weight group, but not in the overweight or obese group." She added: "In both groups, ratings of hunger were significantly lower at 60 minutes from when the meal began during the slow compared to the fast eating condition. These results indicate that greater hunger suppression among both groups could be expected from a meal that is consumed more slowly."