Could chewing HELP YOU SLIM?

Something as simple as eating more slowly might be the secret to beating the seasonal bulge

If you’re the one who’s always reaching for the last piece of Christmas pudding, or squeezing in just one more roast potato, you’ll know how easy it is to overeat at this time of the year – and Christmas Day is the worst of all. The average Brit consumes a whopping 5,000 calories on 25 December alone – which is more than twice our average daily calorie needs. But by simply taking your time and eating the foods you love more slowly, you could help to keep your weight under control and stay healthier over the festive period – without giving anything up. Our experts give us the lowdown.

THE 20-MINUTE RULE

It can take 20 minutes for your brain to register that you’re full, so if you eat too fast, you’ll miss the signals and keep going. ‘When we eat, our gut suppresses a hormone called ghrelin, which is responsible for triggering hunger,’ explains registered dietician and nutrition researcher Tai Ibitoye. ‘Our gut also releases satiety hormones, which relay a sense of fullness to the brain and result in us stopping eating. It takes about 20 minutes for our brain to recognise the signals that we feel full, so slowing down can help this process.’

IMPROVE DIGESTION

Shovelling food down quickly can mean we end up eating too much, which leads to weight gain, digestion problems and hormone imbalances. So learning to slow it down can help improve all these things.