KV Navya By Express News Service CHENNAI: You can make more of the food you eat simply by thoroughly chewing it. Wondering how? Our obsession with what we eat has taken over some of the most important aspects of healthy eating. CE spoke to Meenakshi Bajaj, dietician with the Tamil Nadu Government Multi-Specialty Hospital on how to eat your food. ? You need to chew every bite of your meal in order to nourish your body. Only then the nutrients get digested, absorbed and utilised by the system for nourishment. ? Chewing synchronises with the release of several digestive enzymes. Skipping this step means inadequate digestion thereby leading to inadequate nutrient absorption. ? The simple act of chewing can reduce your calorie intake. It works by increasing the satisfaction you get from meals. Eating quickly may not give the intricate hormonal (Leptin) cross-talk system enough time to work effectively towards satiety. ? Eating quickly is associated with a higher body mass index (BMI). Chewing insufficiency is also associated with increased risk of irritable bowel syndrome. ? Blood glucose control or glycemic control is dependent on chew count. This simple lifestyle modification of thorough mastication can be a preventive measure against diabetes in people with a strong family history and other risk factors for diabetes who have not yet developed diabetes or are pre-diabetes. ? The lower the glycemic index and load of the meal, the higher the chew count. The glycemic index of a meal will vary depending on whether the food is coarsely ground, roasted, fried or finely ground. For example, if ragi is consumed in the form of porridge, one takes lesser time to chew and if it is prepared as adai/dosai the chew count is more, making it a healthier option. ? We spend more time chewing fibre-rich food. For example, between rice and chapati we spend more time on chewing chapati. ? As per National Institute of Nutrition, at least 20 grams of fibre (inclusive of soluble and insoluble) must be added per 1,000 calories consumed (by a healthy individual). ? Per day, it is recommended to take five whole servings or a handful each of fruit, vegetable, greens and whole grams. Even onion and tomato which are added into sambar or curry count as vegetables. ? In a plate, quarter of it must be whole grain cereal and the remaining must consist whole grams/pulses, vegetables and greens. ? In one of the studies we did, we controlled water intake to 200 ml within the meal. We observed that there was a dip of 25-30 milligrams in postprandial or post meal blood sugar. So, limit the intake of water during the meals. ? If one has a strong family history of diabetes or obesity, always prefer having fruit in between meals and never along with the meal. If you are a diabetic, never replace your meal with a fruit. ? For dinner, only eat until you are 50-75 per cent full, so that there is enough time for digestion. Eat at least two hours before you sleep. For all health queries, write to healthexpresschn@gmail.com

Stay updated with all the Chennai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.