Do you gulp down your food? Doctor shares importance of 'eating slowly' and how it impacts your gut health

Want to fix your gut health? In a recent video, Dr Karan Rajan explained why you should ‘eat slowly’ and how the speed impacts your gut.

Have you ever been reminded or scolded by your elders when you were little to eat slowly and consume smaller bites of food? If yes, then you were not alone. However, if you thought that there's no scientific reason behind it, you are wrong.

Doctor reveals at what speed you should eat food. (Shutterstock)

In a video shared on March 20, Dr Karan Rajan, NHS surgeon and a health content creator, talked about the importance of eating slowly and how it impacts our gut health. The clip begins with a woman explaining how our stomach reacts ‘when you eat nice and slowly’ and ‘when you eat too quickly’. And the difference will shock you.

How your eating speed impacts your gut health

Per Dr Rajan, the speed at which you eat significantly impacts your overall gut health. He said, “When you eat too fast, you can actually override multiple physiological mechanisms designed to optimise digestion.” Moreover, digestion begins in the mouth, where the enzyme amylase breaks down carbohydrates.

So, if you're speed-running your food and don't chew it properly, it can reach your intestines in larger chunks. This can lead to your gut bacteria having more undigested carb deferment, leading to excessive gas production. “The more you chew, you improve enzymatic action and nutrient absorption.”

What happens when you eat too fast

“When you inhale food like a pig eating from a trough, this can overwhelm the lower oesophagal sphincter,” Dr Rajan warned. According to him, the oesophagal sphincter is the valve that prevents stomach acid from flowing back into the oesophagus.

This means that speed eating equals an increased risk of acid reflux and heartburn. Moreover, eating too fast can also trigger an exaggerated gastrocolic reflex. “This can lead to an increased urgency of wanting to release the chocolate Kraken or diarrhoea, especially if you have IBS,” Dr Rajan pointed out.

When you eat fast, you overeat

Meanwhile, smaller, slower meals help to modulate the gastrocolic reflex and prevent digestive distress. He added, “We also need to acknowledge that digestion isn't immediate. It takes time for the body to secrete essential digestive fluids like bile and enzymes. If the food is consumed too quickly, the body doesn't have enough time to release these, leading to incomplete digestion and poor nutrient absorption.”

Lastly, fast eating doesn't give your hormones, like cholecystokinin, GIP, and GLP-1, enough time to signal to your brain that you're full. It can lead to difficulties recognising fullness and a chance of overeating.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.