Learn Chinese with Everyday Chinese: Why Eat Slowly?

Hello everyone, welcome to 'Daily Chinese'. I'm Li Ming.

Hi everyone, I'm Wang Yu.

Hi, Li Ming!

Hi, Wang Yu!

You look very happy today. What delicious food did you have for lunch?

Haha, you caught me.

For lunch today, I tried a newly opened Shanghai restaurant, and the food was amazing.

Oh? Really?

Do you eat fast?

I mean, with such delicious food, do you finish it quickly, or do you savor it slowly?

Hmm... that's a good question.

It seems... I eat very fast.

Because it was so delicious, I just kept eating, and very quickly, my plate was empty. Haha, I see.

Actually, we can talk about this topic today: the speed of eating.

Eating speed?

That's a really interesting topic! I've never thought about it.

Sure, let's talk today about whether it's better to eat faster or slower.

Exactly. This is also a topic that is closely related to our daily lives.

Right, everyone has to eat every day.

Okay, let's get started right away!

Okay, Wang Yu. You just said you ate your lunch very quickly today.

Do you usually eat fast too?

So, my first question is: do you eat fast?

Hmm, let me think. I think I eat quite fast.

Especially on weekdays, we only have a one-hour lunch break,

I have to go to the restaurant, wait in line, and wait for the food to be prepared.

So there's not much time to actually sit down and eat, which makes me eat very fast.

I completely understand. Many office workers are probably just like you, with too little time.

Right. What about you, Li Ming? Do you eat fast?

Me? I eat very slowly now. But I used to be just like you, eating extremely fast.

When I was in college, I often bought a bun and ate it while walking. It might take just five minutes

to finish.

Five minutes? Oh my gosh, that's too fast! Why did you eat so fast?

Because I was always so busy back then, with lots of classes and activities.

I felt that eating wasn't that important. If I finished quickly, I could do other things,

like going to the library to read, or playing basketball.

Yes, yes, yes, I was the same way when I was in school. It seemed like there was always endless work to do.

So, back then, my answer to the question 'Do you eat fast?' would definitely have been 'Yes, I extremely...

So when did you start to feel that eating fast might not be so good?

Or rather, when did you start to notice this issue?

I think it was after I started working. My mom always said one thing to me.

Oh? What did your mom say?

Every time she saw me eating so fast, she would say, 'Wang Yu, you need to eat slower.'

At first, I didn't think much of it, as I was used to it. But one time, I ate too fast,

and my stomach felt a bit upset in the afternoon.

Ah, an upset stomach?

Yes. Only after that day did I start to think that when mom said 'eat slower', that phrase

might actually be right.

It seems mothers are always right.

Actually, I changed my habit because of my dad, too.

Oh? Your dad said that too?

Yes. He is also a very slow eater.

He often told me, 'Li Ming, eat slower. Eating is not a task, but an enjoyment.'

An enjoyment.'

'Eating is not a task, but an enjoyment.' That is beautifully said.

Exactly. So, dear listeners, you can also ask yourselves, or ask those around you:

Do you eat fast?

If the answer is 'yes', then maybe you can listen to our conversation next.

We often hear family and friends tell us to 'eat slower'. Behind this, there actually

are many reasons.

Hmm, I'd love to hear them.

Great, we just talked about our old habits of eating fast.

Wang Yu, you just said your mom told you to 'eat slower'.

Do you know why you should eat slower?

Well, I can't quite say.

I just know that when I ate too fast that time, my stomach hurt.

So, I guess eating slowly might be better for the stomach?

You are absolutely right!

This is probably the most important point.

As the common saying goes:

Eat slowly, it's good for your health.

Eat slowly, it's good for your health.

Yes, I think I've heard that phrase before too.

Right. Think about it, our stomach needs time to work.

If we eat too fast,

a lot of food reaches the stomach without being chewed properly.

This makes the stomach very tired.

I see. It's like a factory,

suddenly getting too much work at once,

and the workers get extremely tired.

Our stomach is that factory.

That's an excellent metaphor! That's exactly it.

So, eating slowly is good for your health,

especially for our stomach.

Yes, that makes sense.

Are there other benefits besides being good for the stomach?

Of course.

Think about the Shanghai food you had for lunch today.

Do you still remember how it tasted?

I... let me think.

There was braised pork belly, and a vegetable dish.

Because I ate too fast,

I only remember now that it was delicious,

but as for the specific flavors, I seem to have forgotten a bit.

Haha, see, that's the problem.

If you eat slower,

you can savor the taste of the food much better.

With every bite, you can feel

whether the dish is sweet or salty,

tender or crispy.

Right! Sometimes,

I go to a very nice restaurant with friends,

and spend a lot of money.

If I eat too fast,

it feels like a bit of a waste of money,

because I didn't get to properly enjoy the flavors.

When a dish you particularly like is served in front of you,