Why eating slowly could help you lose weight

Taking time out for meals is not only enjoyable and relaxing but can help us maintain a healthy weight. Distractions like watching TV and checking our smartphones speed up the rate at which we eat and studies show this leads to eating more.

One study review concluded fast eaters are twice as likely to become obese compared to slow eaters. While the results of another study found that slow eaters do stay fuller for longer compared to fast eaters.

Chewing it over (and over)

It takes 15-20 minutes for our brains to clock that we’re full. The messages are controlled by our hormones, which send signals to our brains telling us when we’re satiated and switching off our hunger hormone, ghrelin. Eat too fast and there’s a delay in these messages reaching our brain. We’re then tempted by seconds or a pudding which we don’t really need.

Taking more time to chew food is another way to eat less. Research suggests that people with weight problems chew their food less. It’s recommended we chew foods between 10 to 32 times, depending on the texture.

Chewing food kickstarts the digestive process in your mouth as the smaller pieces mix with saliva. Experts found people who chewed almonds between 25 and 40 times absorbed more nutrients.

Let’s slow things down

Getting into the habit of making meals from scratch gives us control over what goes into them, says dietitian Jennifer Low. "We can have more vegetables and add pulses," she says. This adds texture and crunch, which can slow down our eating as well as adding interest and nutrition. "This doesn’t happen if someone eats a ready meal or instant noodles," says Low.

"Softer foods, more processed meals, don’t make us feel full so quickly, as we don’t have to chew them in the same way, so it interrupts the satiety mechanisms," she says.

If you are buying ready meals, it’s important to check the nutritional information on the pack as it can help you make better food decisions, says Low. "Even if something is red on the traffic lights for fats, it might have mainly healthy fats," she says. "Equally if it’s green, it might just not have the nutrients you need, or even the energy you need – often ready meals are very low in energy, as they are marketed for “diets" but can be unsatisfying and leave people reaching for snacks later."

An occasional takeaway or ready meal is not going to affect your weight or health, says Low. "Everything in moderation really is key – eat a healthy, balanced, Mediterranean-style diet most of the time and have more processed foods sometimes (mindfully)."

How the Med diet can help

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the best choices for maintaining a healthy weight and for longevity. "Some research has shown it helps fullness and reduce hunger," says Sara Stanner, science director of the British Nutrition Organisation.

As well as vegetables, it includes fruits, wholegrains, pulses, oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil, along with some dairy products, poultry and eggs and limited amounts of red meat, butter, sugar and processed foods.

‘This type of diet may help weight loss. But to achieve this, it’s important to keep an eye on portion sizes and enjoy calorie-rich foods such as nuts, seeds and olive oil in small amounts,’ says Stanner.

A 2024 study by Imperial College found high-fibre diets stimulate the release of a key appetite-reducing hormone, PYY. Another reason to eat like a Mediterranean. Oats and legumes have high amounts of fibre and are a good source of protein, which again helps us feel fuller for longer.

The importance of enjoying eating

Finding time to cook and eat together is easier if you’re organised. Nutritionist Madeleine Shaw says the key to relaxed mealtimes is all in the planning and batch-cooking. She says: "I sit down on a Saturday and plan out the week and do a weekly shop. I hate having the same conversation every night about what to eat. We have a list of family favourite meals for midweek that we repeat then get more adventurous on the weekend where we try something new," she says.

Dietitian and life coach Tracy Kelly says it’s important to set time aside for meals. It gives your brain a rest: a mental break away from distractions when you eat. "Stepping away from your work desk helps reset and regulate your nervous system, particularly important for people with IBS or digestive problems," she says.

"Just taking a deep breath before you eat gives you time to think, we’re fine. We can be here. It can be a sense of community, just sitting down with people and eating together, being grateful about where the food comes from, but also just thinking about what we enjoy about this dish," she says.

If you are struggling with setting new habits, Kelly says to start small with one meal a week at the table. "Lay placemats, pull out nice plates, even if you’re pushed for time or on your own. Give yourself time without distractions and check in on how hungry you were before and afterwards."

Start by moving the needle like this and you can create a new pattern and rewire pathways from repetition, she says. "One chocolate and one salad aren’t going to make a difference, but the thing we do on repeat will."

Kelly sums up our current attitude to food perfectly. "We used to sit and eat and run around all day, now we sit all day and run around when we eat." Her advice is to ask yourself these questions: "How hungry am I, how full do I feel afterwards and how satisfied I am? Having more awareness of how much you’re eating and tuning into some of those physical sensations is a good start to resetting your hunger-mealtime clock."

5 tips for eating more slowly

• Turn off the TV as studies show eating while watching TV encourages us to eat fast and eat more.
• Use a knife, as well as a fork, to cut food into smaller bites, so you don’t eat too quickly and swallow large chunks.
• Drink water with meals as it slows down how fast you eat and improves digestion.
• Chew food between 10-32 times to give your brain a chance to catch up with what’s landed in your stomach. It also helps your body absorb more nutrients and improves immunity.
• Avoid hunger pangs – you’ll eat faster if you’ve skipped a meal or left it too long between meals.

Further reading
How to eat mindfully
Why mindful eating is important for families
What is intuitive eating?
Mediterranean diet recipes
Why belly fat is so bad for you

After studying politics at University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Melanie Leyshon trained as a journalist and has a post-graduate diploma from the University of Wales, Cardiff. She was born in Wales and now lives in south London. She has edited and written for several food and health magazines as well as websites. She was chief sub-editor and the consumer writer for Good Food magazine for several years and compiled and edited BBC cookery books. She is passionate about healthy eating and loves trying out new plant-based recipes. Melanie is currently a freelance journalist, focusing on travel, health and wine. She is studying her Wine Diploma at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, London. She is a Wine Scholar Guild Italian Wine Scholar. You can find her LadySips blog on Substack.com

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