What is the difference between eating slowly and eating quickly?
According to Dr Jessica Bae, a family physician at DTAP@Robertson, slow eaters typically take more than 30 minutes to finish their meal, while fast eaters will chug their food in under 20 minutes.
“The average time it takes most adults to finish a meal varies depending on individual eating habits and cultural norms,” she says. “The general range is about 30 minutes for a main meal and 20 minutes for a snack.”
Why are some people slow eaters and others the opposite?
For slow eaters, distractions while eating or problems with dental health may be to blame, says Dr. Bae. “If you tend to eat while watching TV, reading, working, or conversing with your dinner companions, you may be eating slowly because your attention is divided between eating and other activities,” says Dr. Bae.
Dr Bae adds that pain from ill-fitting dentures and other oral health issues can make chewing difficult and slower, while some people prefer to eat slowly, savoring each bite.
