• Question: how many times do you have to chew your food before you swallow it?- Katy and Courtney

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      Asked by Katy and Courtney to Andrew, Dilip, Emma, John, Ruth on 8 Nov 2015.
      • Photo: Andrew Quigley

        Andrew Quigley answered on 8 Nov 2015:

        I don’t know if there’s a recommended number of chews before you swallow. But I would guess you have to chew until the food is small enough so you don’t choke when you swallow it?

        Your body may be able to break down the food quicker if its more chewed up as well?

      • Photo: John Gleeson

        John Gleeson answered on 8 Nov 2015:

        Yep Andrew’s right. So say if you had a stroke, you often have issues swallowing as it affects your swallow reflex. So then you’d be put on a medical food which is the right thickness for you to consume and get all the nutrients you need.

        In general, you should chew enough times to sufficiently swallow without discomfort! Everyone’s chewing is slightly different based on whether they grind or tear and how much force they put into it!

      • Photo: Dilip Rai

        Dilip Rai answered on 13 Nov 2015:

        Longer the better so that the enzyme called amylase in saliva can bread down the carbohydrates in bread into sugary monomers.

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