One thing’s for sure, though – eating often elevates our mood. And chewing, a crucial part of this process, releases flavours in food, and combined with texture and aroma, makes “your eating experience much richer and more pleasant,” says Chen, who also studies the sensory perception of food. So, according to this logic, chewing your food better could boost your mental health, too. But rather than choosing sugary gum, you might want to consider chewing a healthy, textured snack before a stressful task.
Don’t overdo it, though. Unlike Fletcher, most experts don’t think there is a magic number for chewing. “Chew in a normal way until you feel it’s okay to swallow, which will be different for different people,” says Van der Bilt. “Just enjoy your food.”
