What a piano-playing nun can teach us about digestion, healthy aging, and the simple pleasure of eating.

A little music at lunchtime

My mother's childhood memories include a rather unusual school tradition.

She attended a Catholic school where, during lunchtime, a nun would sit at the piano and repeatedly strike the same key. The children were expected to chew their food in rhythm with the music.

Imagine the scene: a dining room full of children, a nun at the piano, and one single note setting the pace for an entire meal.

It might seem a little strange today. Perhaps even a little funny.

But behind that simple ritual was an idea worth remembering: eating should not be a race.

Digestion begins in the mouth

We tend to think of digestion as something that happens in the stomach. In reality, the process begins as soon as we take our first bite.

Our teeth perform mechanical digestion, breaking food into smaller pieces. This increases the surface area available for digestive enzymes to work on.

At the same time, saliva mixes with the food.

Saliva contains enzymes, including amylase, which begins breaking down starch into smaller carbohydrate molecules. It also moistens food, helping it form a soft mass called a bolus that can be swallowed more easily.

The better food is broken down and mixed with saliva, the more prepared it is for the next stages of digestion.

Chewing is therefore not simply a matter of making food small enough to swallow. It is the first important step in preparing food for the digestive system.

Research reviews support the role of chewing in food breakdown and swallowing, although the strength of evidence for broader digestive and nutritional benefits varies. [1]

Why eating slowly may help us feel satisfied

Have you ever finished a meal and realized that you ate far more quickly than you intended?

Perhaps you were hungry, distracted, or simply enjoying the food.

The problem is that our feeling of fullness does not arrive instantly.

As we eat, signals involving the digestive system and the brain help regulate appetite and satiety. These signals take time to develop.

When we eat very quickly, we may consume more food before our body has had a chance to register that we have eaten enough.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on chewing found that increasing oral processing, including chewing and eating more slowly, was associated with reduced food intake and modestly lower self-reported hunger. The researchers also emphasized that more consistent studies are needed. [2]

This does not mean that chewing slowly guarantees weight loss.

It does suggest that slowing down can help us become more aware of how much we eat and when we have had enough.

For healthy aging, this is a useful habit. We want to nourish ourselves adequately, without automatically eating beyond our needs.

The forgotten pleasure of tasting food

There is another benefit to chewing that has nothing to do with calories.

It makes eating more enjoyable.

Consider a simple piece of food: a roasted pumpkin seed, a slice of apple, or a spoonful of brown rice.

When we chew quickly, we may barely notice its flavor.

When we chew slowly, different textures and flavors begin to emerge. The sweetness of the food becomes more apparent. Its aroma changes. Its texture becomes softer.

We give ourselves the opportunity to experience the food rather than simply swallow it.

This is one of the principles of mindful eating: paying attention to the taste, smell, texture, and experience of eating.

Health Canada's guidance on mindful eating encourages people to take their time, chew thoroughly, and enjoy the sensory experience of food. [3]

Eating becomes less automatic and more conscious.

And isn't that what good food deserves?

Is 32 chews per bite the magic number?

You may have heard the recommendation to chew every mouthful 32 times.

This idea is often associated with Horace Fletcher, an early twentieth-century advocate of prolonged chewing.

But there is no universal scientific rule that every mouthful must be chewed exactly 32 times.

Different foods require different amounts of chewing.

A spoonful of soft tofu is not the same as a piece of raw carrot. A ripe banana does not need the same treatment as a handful of nuts.

The goal is not to count every movement of the jaw.

Instead, chew until the food is comfortably broken down, well mixed with saliva, and ready to be swallowed without difficulty.

The right number is the number that works for the food in your mouth.

Five simple ways to improve your chewing

You do not need a piano-playing nun to develop a better eating rhythm.

Try these simple habits:

1. Take smaller bites.
A smaller mouthful is easier to chew thoroughly. It also gives you more opportunities to experience the flavor of your food.

2. Put your utensils down between bites.
This simple trick interrupts the automatic process of taking one bite after another.

3. Give your food your attention.
Avoid eating while scrolling through your phone or watching television. Pay attention to what you are actually eating.

4. Let the texture guide you.
Notice how the food changes as you chew. There is no need to count. Simply continue until it is comfortably ready to swallow.

5. Allow enough time for the meal.
Try to make mealtimes a relaxed part of your day instead of something to finish as quickly as possible.

These habits are consistent with recommendations from Harvard's nutrition experts and other public health guidance on mindful eating. [3, 4]

A small experiment at your next meal

At your next lunch or dinner, try something different.

Take your first bite and slow down.

Notice the texture.

Notice the taste.

Notice how the food changes as you chew.

Then swallow and pause briefly before taking the next bite.

You might discover that you enjoy your food more than you expected.

You may also notice that you feel satisfied with a little less food.

And perhaps, for a moment, you will remember a room full of Catholic schoolchildren, a nun at a piano, and the steady rhythm of a single musical note.

The HealthyRetired perspective

Healthy aging is not only about choosing nutritious foods. It is also about developing habits that allow us to enjoy food, maintain independence, and care for our bodies throughout life.

Chewing well costs nothing.

It requires no supplement, no expensive equipment, and no complicated health routine.

It is a small habit that can make eating more comfortable, more enjoyable, and more mindful.

We spend so much time thinking about what goes into our bodies.

Perhaps it is time to pay a little more attention to what happens before we swallow.

And who knows? Maybe that old nun was onto something.

A healthy meal deserves a little rhythm.

Sources and further reading

1. Chewing and its influence on swallowing, gastrointestinal and nutrition-related factors — Systematic Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35837677/

2. Influence of oral processing on appetite and food intake — Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29408331/

3. Health Canada — Take time to eat
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-guide/explore/healthy-eating-recommendations/be-mindful-eating-habits/take-time-to-eat.html

4. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health — Mindful Eating
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/mindful-eating/

Health disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a qualified health practitioner before making significant changes to your diet or eating habits.