Why You Should Eat Like a Turtle

Are you a fast or slow eater? One thing that these two people have in common is being made fun of. Slow eaters get in trouble for taking too long and making their friends wait while fast eaters are consistently being asked questions like, “did you even chew your food?” Studies have proven that one pace is actually better than the other, in terms of your health.

So which is better for you… to eat quickly or slowly?

The answer – it’s better to be a slow eater. Why?

Problems of eating too fast

Eating too much

Most Americans eat too fast, and as a result, they take in too many calories before they realize how much they ate. According to WebMD, it takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out signals of fullness. Leisurely eating allows ample time to trigger the signal from your brain that you are full. And feeling full translates into eating less.

Recent research presented at a meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity showed that overweight men and women took in fewer calories when they slowed their normal eating pace.

Higher risk of diabetes

Healthy experts have long warned that fast eating can lead to weight gain, but what you might not realize is that wolfing down your food can also lead to another health consequence: a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Yeeks! Lithuanian researcher found that speedy eaters were two and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than those who eat at a more snail-like pace.

Bloating

According to Live Strong, bloating can occur when you add excess air to your stomach, causing your stomach to feel larger or uncomfortable than it usually does. One of the problems with eating quickly is that it introduces excess air into your digestive tract. Also, you have a tendency not to chew food as thoroughly when you eat quickly. This can cause larger pieces of food to become trapped in your stomach, which might give you the sensation that food is sitting uncomfortably.

Benefits of eating slowly

Eating slowly not only helps you eat less calories, it enhances the pleasure of the dining experience. Here are the benefits of eating slowly:

Eat less calories

No bloating

Savor your food

Enjoy the dining experience

Feel full faster

Solution

To master the art of slow eating, put on some music, light a few candles, turn off the TV and any other distractions, and concentrate on your meal. Perhaps the perfect place to start your turtle-like eating pace is at dessert. Take a bite, eat it slowly, savor it, and do nothing but enjoy the flavor, texture, and experience of the delicious dessert. Try also putting your fork down between bites, this can help to extend the amount of time you eat.

The researchers aren’t sure exactly why this is the case, but it’s worth remembering next time you’re sitting down to a meal. Eat a little slower and savor your food longer.

Are you a fast eater or a slower eater?

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Mother’s Day Breakfast Idea

Mother’s Day is this upcoming Sunday. While browsing through recipes on the Whole Foods website, we came across this cute bed-in-breakfast idea. It’s a morning treat that’s super easy to prepare but special enough for mom.

Heart Shaped Egg-in-a-Hole

Ingredients

2 slices brioche loaf, each about 3/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large eggs
Chives for garnish
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Using a large (2.5- or 3-inch) heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out a heart from the center of each slice of brioche. Or, use a paring knife to cut the heart shapes. Reserve slices and hearts.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the slices and the heart cutouts to the pan and cook until slightly toasted. Turn slices and cutouts; carefully break an egg into the center of each slice. Cover the skillet and cook until the egg white is just set and the yolk is cooked to your liking, 3 to 4 minutes.

Carefully transfer a slice and a cutout to each of 2 plates and snip some chives over the top. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving: 240 calories (150 from fat), 17g total fat, 9g saturated fat, 205mg cholesterol, 480mg sodium, 14g total carbohydrate (0g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 9g protein

Source: Whole Foods Recipes

What’s for dinner tonight? How about the B.B.B… Black Bean Burger!

Homemade black bean burgers make a delicious vegetarian meal that’s cheap, easy and healthy. Black beans are more than just a meat substitute… they are high in fiber and antioxidants to help you keep a good waistline and prevent diseases.  Vegetarian or not — you want to include beans in your diet. The bottom line is that they are a protein rich superfood!

VEGAN BLACK BEAN BURGER RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup of corn, drained and rinsed from the can

2 slices of bread that are crumbled

½ cup of crumbled crackers

¼ cup of finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons of garlic powder

2 teaspoons of chili powder

¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper

2 teaspoons of olive oil

Steps:

Drain and rinse the can of black beans and corn. In a large bowl, mash the black beans but leave half of the black beans in their original bean form (un-mashed). In the large bowl, mix the black beans, corn, onion, chili powder and garlic powder. Then mix in the crumbled crackers. With your hand, divide the black bean burger mixture up into four parts. Form the mixture into 2 inch thick burger patties and set aside. You should have about 4-6 burgers from the mixture.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Carefully place burger patties unto the skillet. Heat each side of the burger patty for about 5 minutes. Be very careful when flipping burger patties. The burgers will hold together, but they have a tendency to crumble if handled too much or too roughly. Make sure each side of the burger patty is slightly brown. Add salt and pepper when burgers are finished.

Place your black bean burger on a bun, of your choice and garnish with your favorite burger toppings. We recommend adding a tomato, lettuce, spicy mustard, ketchup and an onion roll as your bun.