How to Chew Food Properly: 11 Tips to Protect Your Stomach and Lose Weight

Do you eat slowly but still feel full, bloated, or uncomfortable after meals? One reason could be how you chew your food. According to common dietary recommendations, each bite of food should be chewed thoroughly enough to become soft and easy to swallow before it reaches the stomach. Proper chewing not only aids digestion but also helps you eat more slowly, recognize fullness sooner, and prevent overeating.

So, what are the benefits of thorough chewing, how many times should you chew, and how can you develop the habit of eating slowly and chewing thoroughly? Tiptory will guide you on how to chew thoroughly, from eating speed to chewing technique and when to swallow, helping you apply these tips to every meal.

Part 1: Guide to Proper Chewing and Optimal Chewing Count

Tip 1: Chew Soft Foods Thoroughly Enough for Easy Digestion

Chew soft foods about 5–10 times

• For soft foods like ripe fruits, berries, or well-cooked vegetables, chew properly about 5–10 times before swallowing. The goal isn't to hit an absolute number, but to chew until the food is finely ground, soft, and easy to swallow.

• As you chew, food mixes with saliva and digestive enzymes in your mouth. This process helps moisten, break down, and prepare the food for subsequent digestive steps.

• Focus on chewing the entire amount of food in your mouth instead of just a few times before swallowing. After being chewed and thoroughly mixed with saliva, food forms a soft mass called a bolus, making swallowing easier.

No need to mechanically count chews

• Not all foods require the same number of chews. Softer, more watery foods are generally easier to break down; while dry, tough, or fibrous foods may require more chewing.

• For example, some soft fruits may only need a few chews to reach the right consistency. So, instead of focusing too much on a number, observe how it feels in your mouth and only swallow when the food is small, soft, and easy to swallow.

Avoid superficial chewing and immediate swallowing

• Taking just 1–2 bites and then swallowing can leave food quite large and not thoroughly mixed with saliva. Eating too quickly also makes it difficult to recognize fullness, leading to eating more than needed.

• If you frequently experience bloating, distension, or gastrointestinal discomfort, try adjusting your eating speed and follow the thorough chewing guide during each meal. However, persistent digestive symptoms should not be solely attributed to insufficient chewing and should be evaluated if they recur frequently.

Easy to apply thorough chewing method

1. Take a moderate amount of food and put it in your mouth.

2. Chew slowly and evenly, using both sides of your jaw if comfortable.

3. Continue chewing until the food is finely ground, soft, and thoroughly mixed with saliva.

4. Only swallow when the food has the appropriate soft consistency, with no large or overly tough pieces remaining.

5. Put your utensils down between bites if you tend to eat too fast. This helps create a break and naturally fosters the habit of eating slowly and chewing thoroughly.

What are the benefits of thorough chewing?

• Thorough chewing helps break down food and mix it with saliva before swallowing, while also facilitating the digestion process.

• Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly can also help you recognize fullness signals more clearly, thereby aiding in controlling the amount of food consumed during a meal.

• The important thing is not to force yourself to chew a fixed number of times for every type of food. A more practical principle is to chew until the food is soft enough, small enough, and easy to swallow.

Tip 2: Chew Hard, Tough Foods Thoroughly

Chew hard, crunchy foods thoroughly before swallowing

• For foods with a hard or crunchy texture like meat, carrots, radishes, or celery, chew properly by chewing slowly and thoroughly until the food is finely ground, softer, and easy to swallow.

• You can try counting approximately 20–30 chews for tough or hard food pieces to develop the habit of thorough chewing, but this isn't a mandatory number for all foods. Research shows that the appropriate number of chews depends on the food's hardness, size, and texture.

Use chewing count as a habit-building exercise

1. Take a moderate piece of food and put it in your mouth.

2. Chew slowly, paying attention to the change in food texture.

3. For hard or tough foods, you can start with a target of about 20–30 chews instead of swallowing immediately after a few bites.

4. Only swallow when the food is finely ground, soft, and easy to swallow.

5. After some time, you don't necessarily need to keep counting. Rely on the food's softness and ease of swallowing to adjust the number of chews.

Thorough chewing helps with slow eating and better recognition of fullness

• What are the benefits of thorough chewing? One of the most researched benefits is that extending chewing time can slow down eating speed and affect the amount of food consumed during a meal. Some experiments show that increasing the number of chews before swallowing can reduce food intake.

• However, it should not be understood that simply chewing 30 times will lead to weight loss. Current evidence suggests that chewing and eating speed may be related to satiety and intake, but the long-term effectiveness for weight control is not yet certain enough to consider it an independent weight loss method.

Eat slowly to better appreciate flavors and textures

• When you take more time to chew, you have the opportunity to better appreciate the crunchiness, softness, chewiness, and flavor of your food. This is also a simple way to transition from eating quickly to eating slowly and chewing thoroughly.

• View the number 30 as a "practice benchmark" rather than a rigid rule. The most important thing in the thorough chewing guide is that the food is finely ground, thoroughly mixed with saliva, and soft enough before swallowing.

No need to chew excessively

• If the food is already soft, small, and easy to swallow, there's no need to prolong the chewing process just to reach 30 chews. Appropriate chewing should be based on the food's texture and each person's chewing ability.

• If you experience difficulty chewing, jaw pain, tooth pain, or frequently choke while eating, the problem may be related to dental or chewing function and should be evaluated by appropriate healthcare professionals.

Tip 3: Slow Chewing Helps Control Eating

Maintain a slow and steady chewing rhythm

• When eating, take moderate bites of food and then chew properly with a slow, steady rhythm. Focus on the chewing process instead of rushing to bite and swallow.

• Slow chewing helps break down food more finely and mix it thoroughly with saliva. Some enzymes in saliva begin to participate in the digestion process, especially with starches.

Avoid chewing too quickly or biting continuously

• Fast, hurried chewing can lead to food not being broken down enough before swallowing. Instead of trying to achieve a fixed number of chews, continue chewing until the food is soft enough, small enough, and easy to swallow.

• If you tend to eat quickly, try putting your chopsticks or fork down between bites. This is a simple tip in the thorough chewing guide that helps create breaks and slow down your eating pace.

Eating slowly helps better recognize fullness

• What are the benefits of thorough chewing? Eating slowly can extend mealtime, allowing more opportunity for satiety signals to appear. As a result, some people may more easily recognize when they are full and limit overeating.

• However, it should not be understood that simply chewing slowly will guarantee weight loss. Satiety is also influenced by meal composition, portion size, eating habits, and many other factors.

How to practice slow chewing at each meal

1. Take a moderate piece of food.

2. Chew deliberately and pay attention to the food's softness, texture, and flavor.

3. Don't rush to take a new bite before the previous one has been chewed and swallowed.

4. Put your utensils down during breaks between bites if you tend to eat too quickly.

5. Maintain the habit of eating slowly and chewing thoroughly at each meal instead of trying to change your eating speed too abruptly.

Prioritize the feel of the food instead of mechanical counting

• There isn't a single ideal number of chews for all foods. Soft foods usually require fewer chews, while tough meat or crunchy vegetables need to be chewed longer.

• The practical goal of thorough chewing is to break down food, mix it with saliva, and make it easy to swallow. When this becomes a habit, you won't need to constantly count every chew.

Tip 4: Use Molars to Chew Hard Foods

Use molars when chewing hard foods

• For foods with a hard or crunchy texture like nuts, seeds, and crispy vegetables, move the food towards your molars to grind it down. These are the teeth with broad surfaces, suitable for crushing and breaking down food.

• Proper chewing doesn't mean using extreme force. Chew slowly, evenly on both sides of your jaw if comfortable, and adjust chewing force according to the food's hardness.

Do not swallow hard food pieces whole

• Before swallowing, check if the food has been sufficiently ground down and softened. Pieces of food that are still too large or too hard can make swallowing more difficult.

• For people with weak teeth, toothache, dental restorations, or chewing difficulties, it's advisable to prioritize soft-textured foods and consult a dentist if the condition persists.

How to chew hard foods more easily

1. Take a small bite of food instead of putting too large a piece into your mouth.

2. Move the food towards your molars, which are suitable for grinding foods with hard or tough textures.

3. Chew slowly and evenly until the food is finely ground and softer.

4. Mix the food with saliva during chewing to form an easy-to-swallow bolus.

5. Only swallow when the food is small enough and no longer feels too hard or tough.

Thorough chewing supports the digestive process

• What are the benefits of thorough chewing? Grinding food helps increase the surface area of the food exposed to digestive enzymes in subsequent stages. Chewing also helps mix food with saliva and prepares it for swallowing.

• However, thorough chewing should not be seen as a cure for digestive problems. If you frequently experience bloating, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, or indigestion despite adjusting your eating habits, you should seek out the appropriate cause instead of just increasing the number of chews.

Forming the habit of thorough chewing

• In the thorough chewing guide, the most important thing is not to force yourself to achieve a fixed number of chews but to recognize when food is small, soft, and easy to swallow enough.

• Start with simple changes: take smaller bites, move food to your molars when grinding is needed, chew slowly, and only swallow when food has been thoroughly processed in your mouth. These small steps are easier to maintain than trying to change all eating habits in one day.

Tip 5: Use Your Tongue to Chew Food More Evenly

Use your tongue to move food to the appropriate teeth

• While chewing properly, gently use your tongue to move food around your mouth so that parts that haven't been thoroughly ground yet come into contact with your teeth and continue to be chewed.

• This helps distribute food more evenly in the mouth, especially when some parts are still hard or haven't been broken down enough.

Check food before swallowing

• After a few chews, use your tongue to feel if there are any large, hard, or not-yet-ground pieces of food.

• If there are, gently move them towards your molars to continue grinding. This is a simple step in the thorough chewing guide that helps food achieve the appropriate softness and size before swallowing.

Chew slowly, avoid biting your tongue

• There's no need to move your tongue too quickly or forcefully. Do it gently, while maintaining a slow and steady chewing rhythm.

• Avoid moving your tongue while biting hard to reduce the risk of biting your tongue. If eating very hot food, very hard food, or food with many sharp pieces, be especially careful.

Coordinate tongue and teeth for effective chewing

1. Place a moderate amount of food in your mouth.

2. Chew slowly to grind the food.

3. Gently use your tongue to move unchewed portions towards the appropriate teeth.

4. Continue chewing until the food is relatively uniform, soft, and easy to swallow.

5. Swallow when the food is finely ground enough, instead of swallowing pieces that are still hard or large.

Thorough chewing helps prepare food before swallowing

• What are the benefits of thorough chewing? The chewing process helps grind food, moisten it, and mix it with saliva to form a suitable food bolus for swallowing. Using the tongue in coordination with the teeth helps this process occur more evenly.

• Focus on the feel of the food rather than trying to count the exact number of chews. When food is small, soft, and easy to swallow enough, that is usually a sign that you have chewed thoroughly to an appropriate degree.

Tip 6: Only Swallow When Food is Soft Enough

Chew until food is soft and uniform

• Continue to chew properly until the food is finely ground, soft, and thoroughly mixed with saliva. Before swallowing, there should be no large, hard, or overly crunchy pieces remaining in your mouth.

• Each type of food has a different texture, so the number of chews also varies. Soft foods may require fewer chews, while tough meat, crunchy vegetables, or nuts usually need longer chewing.

Check food before swallowing

1. Chew each bite of food slowly and evenly.

2. Use your tongue to feel if there are any hard, tough, or unchewed portions.

3. If there are, continue chewing until the food is soft enough and easy to swallow.

4. When the food is relatively uniform, swallow gently.

5. Only put the next bite into your mouth after you have finished swallowing.

No need to force food into a completely liquid form

• The thorough chewing guide is generally understood to mean chewing until the food is small and soft enough to swallow easily. It's not necessary to chew every type of food until it's completely liquid.

• Trying to achieve a fixed state or number of chews can make you pay too much attention to counting rather than experiencing the food. Use softness, size, and ease of swallowing as more practical criteria.

What are the benefits of thorough chewing?

• What are the benefits of thorough chewing? Chewing helps grind food, moisten it, and mix it with saliva before swallowing. This is the first step in the digestive system's food processing.

• Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly can also help you spend more time on your meal, making it easier to recognize fullness and curbing the habit of eating too quickly.

Develop the habit of chewing food thoroughly at every meal

• Tiptory suggests a simple rule: “Chew until it's soft enough to swallow.” You don't need to count every single chew; focus on the texture of the food and how easily it can be swallowed.

• If you frequently have difficulty swallowing, feel food getting stuck in your throat or chest, experience pain when swallowing, or choke while eating, you should not simply adjust your chewing habits. Instead, seek medical evaluation to determine the cause.

Part 2: Healthy Eating Habits for Better Digestion

Tip 1: Cut food into smaller pieces before eating

Cut food into bite-sized pieces

• For large items such as meat, vegetables, or dishes that require a knife, cut food into small, bite-sized pieces before eating. Smaller pieces are easier for your teeth to grind and reduce the need to chew an excessively large amount of food at once.

• An appropriate bite should fit comfortably on a spoon or fork and not overfill your mouth. This is a simple step to practice proper chewing techniques.

Prioritize moderate amounts of food with each bite

1. Use a knife to cut large food items into smaller portions before putting them in your mouth.

2. Take a moderate amount with a spoon or fork, avoiding placing overly large pieces in your mouth.

3. Chew slowly and steadily until the food is finely ground, soft, and easy to swallow.

4. Swallow the current bite before taking the next one.

Smaller bites help you focus on the meal

• When each piece of food is a moderate size, you can better appreciate the flavor, tenderness, crispness, and texture of the dish. This is also a practical way to train yourself to eat slowly and chew thoroughly instead of rushing your meal.

• Reducing the size of each bite can also help extend eating time and allow you to better recognize feelings of fullness. However, portion control still depends on the total amount of food and the overall meal composition.

Combine cutting into small pieces with thorough chewing

• What is the purpose of thorough chewing? Chewing grinds food into smaller pieces and mixes it with saliva before swallowing. When combined with cutting food into moderate pieces, the chewing and swallowing process generally becomes easier.

• Tiptory encourages applying a simple principle: “Small bites – slow chewing – swallow when soft enough.” There's no need to try to achieve a fixed number of chews; adjust based on the food's size and texture.

Pay special attention to foods that can cause choking

• For chewy, hard, or large items, cutting them into small pieces before eating is even more crucial. Young children, the elderly, or individuals who have difficulty chewing and swallowing need to have food choices and bite sizes that are more suitable for them.

• If you frequently choke or cough while eating, or feel food getting stuck in your throat or chest, you should see a doctor to find the cause instead of just increasing the number of chews.



Tip 2: Should you drink water while eating?

No need to avoid water during meals

• You do not need to avoid drinking water while eating to protect your digestion. Drinking water with meals does not "dilute stomach acid" to the point where food is not digested, nor does it push food through the digestive system too quickly.

• If you are thirsty during a meal, you can absolutely drink an appropriate amount of water. For many people, drinking water during meals can even make food easier to swallow and help maintain adequate hydration for the body.

Drink water according to your body's needs

1. Drink water regularly throughout the day instead of trying to suppress thirst during meals.

2. While eating, you can take small sips if you feel thirsty or need help swallowing food.

3. There's no need to follow rigid rules such as stopping drinking water 20 minutes before or after a meal.

4. If you are chewing food properly, focus on chewing thoroughly, eating slowly, and swallowing when the food is easy to swallow, rather than worrying that water will interrupt digestion.

Water does not diminish the nutrients in food

• The body digests and absorbs nutrients through a process that extends from the mouth, stomach, to the small intestine. Drinking water during meals does not cause food to "pass through" before being digested, nor does it cause the body to lose all nutrients.

• Therefore, if your goal is to understand what the benefits of thorough chewing are for digestion, focus on more evidence-based factors such as grinding food into smaller pieces, eating at an appropriate pace, and choosing balanced portions.

Drink water if food is difficult to swallow

• A few sips of water can help moisten the mouth and aid in swallowing dry food. However, if you frequently feel food getting stuck, cough, or choke while eating or drinking, this could be a sign of a swallowing problem that requires medical evaluation.

• Do not try to drink a lot of water to "push down" food that is stuck in your throat or chest.

How to combine drinking water and chewing thoroughly

• In guidelines for thorough chewing, the most important goal is still to chew food into small and soft enough pieces before swallowing. You can drink water when thirsty without worrying that water will negate the effects of chewing.

• Tiptory suggests a simple principle: eat slowly, chew thoroughly, drink water when needed, and listen to your body's signals. This is a more practical approach than strictly avoiding water during or around meals.



Tip 3: Chew with your mouth closed to reduce air swallowing

Chew with your mouth closed

• When chewing food properly, keep your lips gently closed while chewing and avoid talking with food in your mouth. This habit not only makes eating more polite but can also limit the amount of air accidentally swallowed.

• Swallowing too much air can increase feelings of bloating, burping, or abdominal distension in some people. Therefore, eating slowly and chewing deliberately can be helpful if you frequently experience discomfort due to bloating.

Eat slowly to limit air swallowing

1. Take a moderate bite of food, avoiding putting too much food in your mouth at once.

2. Close your mouth gently and chew slowly and steadily.

3. Avoid talking while chewing or eating too quickly.

4. Chew until the food is small enough, soft, and easy to swallow before swallowing.

5. After swallowing the current bite, then take the next bite of food.

Don't mistake air swallowing for a digestive issue

• What is the purpose of thorough chewing? Proper chewing helps grind food into smaller pieces and prepares it for the swallowing and digestion process. However, not all cases of bloating stem from eating too quickly or swallowing too much air.

• If you frequently experience bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, or intestinal discomfort, the cause could be related to your diet, a digestive condition, or many other factors. If symptoms persist, you should seek to identify the cause rather than just increasing the number of chews.

Combine slow chewing and closed-mouth chewing

• In the guidelines for thorough chewing, prioritize three simple habits: take small bites, chew slowly with your mouth closed, and only swallow when the food is soft enough.

• Tiptory encourages focusing on the pace and sensation of eating rather than trying to count every single chew. A slow meal not only helps you process food better but also allows you to better recognize feelings of hunger and fullness.



Tip 4: Focus while eating to chew more thoroughly

Eliminate distractions while eating

• When chewing food properly, take the time to sit down and focus on your meal instead of eating while looking at your phone, watching TV, or working. When you are less distracted, you can more easily notice your eating pace and when your food has been chewed thoroughly enough.

• Avoid eating while driving or on the go. Not only does this make it difficult to concentrate on chewing, but these situations also increase the risk of eating too quickly or losing control of the amount of food consumed.

Create dedicated time for your meals

1. Sit steadily at a table when eating instead of eating while walking.

2. Put your phone aside or turn off unnecessary notifications.

3. Eat small, manageable bites and focus on savoring the taste, smell, and texture of the food.

4. Chew slowly until the food is small enough, soft, and easy to swallow.

5. Swallow the current bite before moving on to the next one.

Eating with others can help you eat slower

• A meal with family or friends can create a comfortable environment for you to sit down and enjoy your food. Conversing between bites also creates natural pauses, helping to reduce the habit of eating too quickly.

• However, if you are talking, make sure you have swallowed all your food before speaking to reduce the risk of choking.

Chewing thoroughly is not just about counting chews

• What is the purpose of thorough chewing? When you focus on your meal, you can more easily recognize whether your food has been ground small enough and adjust your chewing pace accordingly. This is an important part of practical thorough chewing guidelines.

• It's not necessary to try to achieve a fixed number of chews. Instead, pay attention to the texture of the food and only swallow when it is soft, small, and easy to swallow.

Turn meals into a real break

• Tiptory suggests a simple principle: sit down – put away your phone – eat slowly – chew thoroughly – savor each bite. When a meal is no longer something to be rushed, you will more easily form the habit of eating slowly and chewing thoroughly and better recognize your body's hunger and fullness signals.



Tip 5: Put utensils down to eat slower

Put your spoon, chopsticks, or fork down after each bite

• After putting food in your mouth, place your spoon, chopsticks, or fork down on the table instead of holding them. This pause helps you focus on chewing and reduces the habit of immediately reaching for the next bite before the current one is fully processed.

• This is a simple tip for proper chewing techniques, especially suitable for people who tend to eat quickly or often chew while preparing the next bite.

Create natural pauses between bites

1. Take a moderate amount of food.

2. Put the food in your mouth, then place your spoon, chopsticks, or fork down.

3. Chew slowly and concentrate on the texture and flavor of the food.

4. Once the food is small enough, soft, and easy to swallow, swallow it completely.

5. Only then pick up your eating utensil to take the next bite and continue to put it down.

No need to force yourself to count every chew

• What is the purpose of thorough chewing? The habit of eating slowly can help you spend more time on your meal and better recognize feelings of fullness. Putting your eating utensils down is a practical way to create a slower eating pace without constantly counting chews.

• In the guidelines for thorough chewing, the goal should be to chew until the food is finely ground, soft, and easy to swallow, rather than trying to achieve a fixed number for all types of food.

Apply this tip starting from your next meal

• If you tend to eat very quickly, start with a small change: after each bite, put your utensils down. After a few meals, this pause can become a natural habit.

• Tiptory suggests combining this tip with sitting down to eat mindfully, limiting phone use, and taking small bites. The trio of small bites – thorough chewing – putting utensils down helps slow down your meal without feeling forced.



Eat manageable bites to chew easily

Don't take overly large bites of food

• Choose a portion of food that fits comfortably in your mouth so you can chew food properly and control it more easily. An overly large bite can make it difficult to grind into small pieces, mix thoroughly with saliva, and swallow.

• Especially with hard, chewy, or difficult-to-chew foods, it's advisable to cut them into small pieces before eating to reduce stress on your teeth and jaw.

Divide food into small pieces

1. Use a knife, scissors, or appropriate tools to cut food into bite-sized pieces.

2. Only take a moderate amount into your mouth, avoiding trying to eat an overly large piece.

3. Chew thoroughly and slowly until the food is finely ground and softer.

4. Swallow the current bite completely before taking more food.

5. If the food is too hard, chewy, or difficult to chew, continue to grind it into smaller pieces instead of trying to swallow it whole.

Small bites help reduce the risk of choking

• Overly large food or food that hasn't been chewed thoroughly can make swallowing more difficult and increase the risk of choking. Therefore, cutting food into small pieces and chewing thoroughly is a beneficial habit, especially when eating hard or chewy items.

• Avoid talking or laughing while eating, or rushing to swallow when there is still a lot of food in your mouth.

Combine bite size with chewing technique

• What is the purpose of thorough chewing? Chewing helps grind food into smaller pieces before swallowing, but its effectiveness also depends on the size and texture of the bite. Starting with a manageable bite makes the chewing process easier and more comfortable.

• In the guidelines for thorough chewing, Tiptory suggests a simple principle: bite-sized pieces – chew slowly – chew until soft enough – then swallow. This is easier to apply than trying to achieve a specific number of chews for every meal.

References

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3. Wada S, et al. Chewing and its influence on swallowing, gastrointestinal and nutrition-related factors: a systematic review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2022. doi:10.1080/10408398.2022.2098245.
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Content editor: Sidney Bailey Hoang.


Information consulted and verified by expert: Daniel Carter.