Chewing for health, attractiveness and brainpower
Why you should eat foods that are harder to chew (and maybe chew gum too)
More and more data is coming out showing that our modern lifestyles are making us weaker, less attractive and more depressed. I’ve written about exercise and diet in my previous blogs, but one thing that has surprised me are the salutary effects that the simple act of chewing can have on both our bodies and our minds.
Choosing foods that are harder to chew can improve your life in many ways. Do you want straighter teeth? Do you want a more attractive jaw and face? Do you want better digestive health? Do you want to have more focus? Better sleep? Chewing promotes all of these and more!
Better sleep and straighter teeth
Stanford researchers have indicated that the modern epidemic of shrinking jaws and related health issues, such as orthodontic problems and sleep apnea, is not primarily genetic but a lifestyle disease. This condition is largely attributed to changes in human practices, particularly the shift towards softer diets and reduced chewing requirements, which have become more prevalent since the advent of agriculture and industrialization.1
Choosing foods that are harder to chew (usually more natural, less processed foods) stimulates the body to build out more bone and muscle in the area, increasing space for teeth and airflow. This both minimizes orthodontic issues as well as breathing problems like sleep apnea.
Jaw size and strength
Chewing builds muscle and bone in the jaw just like lifting weights builds bone and muscle elsewhere in your body.2 So you could think of chewing to be like resistance training for your jaw/face/head. And the results are similar: Better health and attractiveness.
Satiety
Many studies have shown that choosing foods that require more chewing increases satiety, meaning you feel full faster and consume less calories.3 So chew more to lose weight! You’ll feel less hunger and your eating will satiate you faster so you’ll consume less calories on average.
Lower stress and better digestion
Research has shown that chewing increases autonomic nervous activity, especially parasympathetic activity, in older adults. This indicates that the act of chewing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is known for its role in promoting rest and digestion, compared to resting states. This means that chewing more will make you more calm, reduce anxiety and generally make you happier.4
Increased cognitive function
Chewing has been shown in many studies to increase cognitive function, especially in attention. Chewing elevates alertness, consequently leading to improvements in cognitive performance.56
So you can literally increase your intelligence (at least temporarily) by chewing. Besides food, sugar free gum can be an effective way to gain the benefits of chewing.
So what should you do?
Eat more unprocessed meat: Steaks, pork chops, venison, etc. are easy to find, cook and take more time to chew - and they’re healthy and delicious!
If you’re less meat centric, eat more nuts, fresh fruits and beans to get you chewing more.
Consider buying sugar free gum for in between meals.
The evidence is clear: Chewing more should be a part of everyone’s overall health strategy.
https://news.stanford.edu/2020/07/21/toll-shrinking-jaws-human-health/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190531100544.htm
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29408331/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20132649/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24371128/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4449949/