Do you tear through tasty food, only to realize 20 minutes later that, well, your probably didn't need that much? Chewing big bits of food at least 25 times might help—and that's nearly a full alphabet countdown.


Photo by TheGiantVermin.

The UK edition of Men's Health offers a few tips on eating without eating too much. They cite this bit of science for the quirky suggestion of reciting the alphabet:

Masticating while mentally reciting the alphabet could help you feel fuller for longer, says a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Participants who chewed nuts 40 times, rather than 25 times reported greater satiety.


But maybe you're at a business lunch, or want to chime in on what your friend is telling you. We'd suggest reserving the 25-count bites for when the other person is making a point—or combining the alphabet chew with the thoughtful sandwich pause technique. Hitting 25 on every single bite might be very annoying, but every so often, it might help you realize just how much you're putting down.

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Got your own tricks for teaching yourself that you've had enough? Pass the salt and share them in the comments.

4 Winning food combinations [Men's Health UK via Lifehacker AU]