Chewing your food is the first step in the all-important digestion process. In order to digest food properly, your food must be broken down into a liquid form before it's swallowed. When you don't get the job done, large food particles that haven't been digested make an appearance in the stool. Taking small bites, chewing food well and swallowing at a slow pace readies the food for digestion. By chewing your food up well, you also drag out the eating process. This means you swallow less air, your body realizes that it is full sooner and you won't eat as much. You'll also be less likely to suffer from gas or indigestion. A small study revealed that people who chewed 1.5 ounces of almonds 40 times felt more satiated than others who only chewed 10 or 25 times.
Blood work showed that the chewers' blood had higher levels of appetite-suppressing hormones. One expert actually encouraged that individuals chew 100 times before swallowing. While you don't need to go to that great length, it is important to chew your food in the name of better digestion. Chewing food slowly gives you time to register all of the flavors. This, in turn, leaves you feeling more satisfied. When you rush through your meal, you often don't get the opportunity to enjoy your food, and you crave more right after your meal is complete. Chewing well also brings out the nutrients in the food by allowing the saliva to break down the food and absorb the nutrients.