Can you eat rice without chewing?
In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat rice without chewing?”We will walk you through how to eat rice without chewing and the risks of eating without chewing. We will also briefly discuss the benefits of chewing food.
Can you eat rice without chewing?
Yes, you can eat rice without chewing, you just need to take small bits of it and ensure that you don’t choke. You can as well opt for mashed rice since it requires no chewing at all. Chewing is a very vital process in the digestion regime as it allows the release of enzymes and lubricants in the mouth.
The enzymes aid in the decomposition of food, into smaller particles or substances which can then follow through the digestive system for easy absorption of essential nutrients.
How do you eat rice without chewing?
In order to eat rice without teeth it is better to follow the below guidelines as their is a risk of choking;
Ensure that the rice is moist
Dry foods present the biggest choking hazard, think of any bakery products such as cakes and biscuits. If you are not chewing food, there is not enough lubrication and release of enzymes as mentioned above necessary for the food to be moist and hence be easily swallowed. So your best option is to ensure that your rice comes moist enough.
This can be done by not letting the water evaporate completely when you are boiling your rice to soften it. You can as well add some butter and oils when you are boiling the rice so as to moisten it further and add to its lubrication.
Take sips of drinks when eating
To further prevent the risk of choking, it is important that you have a drink when having your rice. Take small bites of food and wash them down with your favorite drink, ideally water, but you can as well shrink some juice, carbonated drink or a smoothie so that the food has enough lubrication to be swallowed.
Ensure that you eat slowly
It is also important that you slowly eat your rice so as to further reduce the risk of choking. Eating slowly gives more time for lubrication to be enhanced when the food is in the mouth and enzymes to be released that help break down food.
What are the risks of eating without chewing?
If you do have teeth, there is no excuse for eating without chewing. Eating without chewing is risky and that is why there are soft diets recommended for babies who have not yet grown teeth or the elderly who have lost teeth due to old age. Some risks of eating food without chewing are:
- Digestive problems such as bloating, heartburn, diarrhea, acid reflux, indigestion, cramps, nausea, headaches, irritability, malnutrition and gas problems.
- Choking as mentioned
- Malnutrition
- Aspiration
- Dehydration
What are the benefits of chewing rice and other foods?
Chewing is usually the maiden process in digestion. It therefore goes a long way to ensure that the digestion process proceeds well to completion. Here are some benefits of chewing food properly:
Helps in prevention of obesity
When you chew your food properly and eat slowly; this prevents overeating and further reduce you from being obese.
Assists in the development of the sense of taste
Chewing allows for food to be in your mouth for some time, you therefore feel its texture and shape and this further helps in developing the sense of taste for different types of food.
Development of speech
Chewing helps in the movement of the muscles in the mouth and this develops and makes your jaw much stronger. Most people can attest to this after chewing gum, you feel your muscles much stronger just like lifting weights. Development of the jaw helps you in being more expressive and pronounce words better.
Prevention of dental diseases
When chewing food, saliva is usually produced to best lubricate the food. Saliva is very important because it washes down any debris from food and bacteria that may be lurking in the mouth. This helps prevent dental diseases such as gingivitis and tooth decay.
May help prevent cancer
When you chew food, the enzyme peroxidase is released and it assists in the suppression of carcinogens in the food and helps prevent cancers.
Development of the brain
Chewing allows for more blood to flow into the brain and stimulates it, it enhances the intelligence quotient in children and prevents memory loss in adults.
Develops healthy stomach and intestines
Chewing helps activate the function of the stomach, since the portions come in sizes which assist the digestive processes to continue optimally.
Other FAQs about Rice that you may be interested in.
Can you eat rice without a gallbladder?
Can you eat packet rice without heating?
How much are 200 grams of rice when converted to cups?
Conclusion
In this brief article we have tackled the question, “Can you eat rice without chewing?” We have walked you through how to eat rice without chewing and risks of eating without chewing. We have also briefly discussed the benefits of chewing food.
