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Eating Slowly Means Eating Less

A study conducted by researchers from University of Rhode Island showed that women who usually eat more slowly tend to eat less and enjoy the food more.

The study included 30 women who were given a plate of pasta and told to eat as much as they wanted. The first time researchers told the women to eat quickly. The results showed that they consumed up to 646 calories in nine minutes. The second time they were told to eat slowly and chew the food very well. This time they consumed only 579 calories in 29 minutes.

After the meal researchers asked the woman when they enjoy the food best. All of them responded that they felt more satisfied the second time when they were asked to eat slowly.

"Not only did the women take in fewer calories when they ate more slowly, they had a greater feeling of satiety at meal completion and 60 minutes afterwards, which strongly suggests benefits to eating more slowly," Kathleen Melanson, assistant professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Rhode Island and the lead author of the study.

The complete results of the study were presented at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.