Acharya Balkrishna’s simple mealtime tips that science says can prevent half your diseases

Acharya Balkrishna wrote on Facebook: “Some people eat in a hurry. Such people are three times more likely to become obese. Food should always be eaten in a calm environment, chewing thoroughly. Eating this way can keep us away from half the diseases.”

Acharya Balkrishna’s words are short. But the science behind them is deep and well-documented. Eating fast is one of the most overlooked health habits in modern life. Most people do not think twice about finishing a meal in five minutes. But research shows this habit carries serious consequences.

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The obesity link is real

A large study published in the British Medical Journal Open followed over 59,000 Japanese adults with type 2 diabetes over several years. Researchers found that fast eaters were significantly more likely to be obese compared to slow or normal-paced eaters. When fast-eating group slowed down, their obesity rates dropped. Association between eating speed and body weight has now been confirmed across multiple countries and demographics.

Acharya Balkrishna mentions threefold rise in obesity risk. This aligns with findings from a 2011 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which showed fast eaters consumed more calories per meal and had higher BMI scores. The risk multiplier varies by study, but the direction is always the same. Fast eating leads to more weight gain.

Why fast eating makes you overeat

The stomach does not send an instant signal to the brain when it is full. There is a lag. It takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes for satiety hormones like leptin and cholecystokinin to travel from the gut to the brain and register fullness. If you finish your meal in 5 minutes, you have eaten everything long before your brain got the message to stop.

Slow eating gives that hormonal loop time to close. You feel full sooner. You eat less. It is not discipline. It is biology.

Chewing: The first stage of digestion

Acharya Balkrishna specifically mentions chewing food thoroughly. This is not just traditional wisdom. It is physiology.

Digestion begins in the mouth. Saliva contains an enzyme called amylase, which starts breaking down carbohydrates before food even reaches the stomach. Proper chewing increases the surface area of food particles, which makes it easier for digestive enzymes to do their work further down the gut.

A 2015 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that chewing almonds more thoroughly increased the absorption of healthy fats and protein from those almonds. The same principle applies broadly. Poorly chewed food passes through the digestive system without being fully processed. This leads to bloating, gas, nutrient malabsorption, gut discomfort.

Research suggests chewing each bite 20 to 40 times as a general guideline. Harder foods need more chewing. Soft foods less. But most people chew only 5 to 10 times before swallowing.

Blood sugar and eating speed

Fast eating affects more than weight. It affects blood sugar control too.

A study published in Clinical Endocrinology found that people who ate faster had significantly higher blood glucose levels after meals. Rapid food intake floods the bloodstream with glucose in a short window. The pancreas has to pump out insulin quickly to manage the spike. Over time, this pattern of repeated sugar spikes strains insulin sensitivity. This is how fast eating contributes to the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Slower eating produces a gentler glucose curve. The same calories, absorbed more gradually, cause far less metabolic stress.

Acid reflux and gut health

Eating fast forces you to swallow more air. This contributes to bloating and acid reflux. When food is gulped down quickly, the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve between the esophagus and stomach, is more likely to be stressed. Stomach acid can travel upward. This is why many people who complain of chronic indigestion are simply eating too fast.

Ayurvedic texts have described this connection for centuries. The gut responds to pace. A hurried meal in a stressed state activates the sympathetic nervous system, which actually suppresses digestion. The body shifts resources away from the digestive tract when it senses urgency. Calm eating, in contrast, activates the parasympathetic system, often called rest-and-digest mode, which optimises enzyme secretion and gut motility.

The environment matters

Acharya Balkrishna also mentions eating in a calm environment. This is backed by science. Eating while watching TV, scrolling phone, or sitting at work desk is linked to distracted eating. It leads to consuming larger portions and feeling less satisfied afterward.

A 2013 review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition analyzed multiple studies on eating attention and found that distracted eating increased immediate food intake and reduced the ability to recall what was eaten, which led to more eating later in the day. Mindful eating, by contrast, is now a clinically recognized tool in managing obesity and binge eating disorder.