Are there any harmful effects from chewing food but not swallowing it?

Question

I need to lose weight and have a problem with binge type eating late at night. I know there are tons of health problems with becoming bulemic and I do not want to go that route. Recently I've started chewing my "binge food" but spitting it out and not swallowing it. I do eat normal healthy meals, but if I'm craving McDonalds or pizza or cookies I do this. Are there any negative health implications to this behavior? If so, what are they? I know it sounds gross, but I feel better after doing it. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

What you are doing is obviously not normal eating behavior, but it certainly is less abusive than swallowing and then purging. The food craving may be a sign of food intolerance (food allergy if you prefer). Try a strict food elimination diet for 10 days, then add back 1 food for a day, wheat for example. See how you feel for the next day or so. If OK, re-incorporate that food back into your diet. Then move on to the next food to test, etc. You can find an elimination diet in books or on-line. If not, I can email you one developed by Dr. Gaby and Dr. Wright, both Md's with many years of experience in these matters. There is some evidence that your eating abnormality may also be related to nutritional deficiencies. Similarly, zinc has been shown to be greatly deficient in anorectics. When it is added back, it helps relieve the eating disorder. I do not know off hand specifically about nutritional deficienies in bulimia but if you like, email me and I will try and find out for you. You say you "need to lose weight". Check your height and weight and compare to a chart of the normal population to see how you measure up to the averages. You may in fact have a body image disorder and not need to lose weight at all, rather you may need to address the issue of your perception of your body image. Hope this wasn't too direct. I apologize if so.

Briant Burke, MD
www.cbrmed.org
[e-mail]

Answer 2

The only problem to swallowing food without chewing it is that it takes the body a longer time to process the food... So the heart pumps more blood and so on... as for the vitamins I'm not quite to sure... I don;t think that there is any problem, most vitamins are released in the intestines and make their way into the blood system...

Answer 3

While there is nothing wrong with just chewing your food and spiting it out, there are deeper underlying problems with this kind of behaviour. Don't think that what you are doing makes you some kind of freak, your not alone. I do feel that you need to speak to someone that can help you with your eating disorder. While you feel that its not affecting you now in the long run it will. It's safer to lose weight slowly and under the guidance of a professional than to keep on going along this current path.
Talk to a Doctor who can refer you to a professional who can not only guide you but help you with any issues that may be underlying your eating disorder.
Just remember your not alone and there are people out there to help you.

Answer 4

1. You're wasting food.

2. Chewing stimulates digestive enzymes. So you end up being even more hungry than ever!

Try to compromise. If you want pizza so bad, have it. Eat some broccoli while waiting for the pizza. Between one slice of pizza and the next, eat some more broccoli.

Answer 5

I don't think there are health effects as long as you brush your teeth heaps. It is better than swallowing it and throwing it up. It feels ten times better never to have it in you at all though. It is better to just stay away from it than to torture yourself with it. Better not to buy it at all. It doesn't make you hungrier than ever just emptier and more unsatisfied than ever. It keeps you from doing other things makes food take up too much of your life and loses you hours of time and makes you feel saturated with food and really tired. I think the greatest harmful effect is so much of ones life wasted dwelling on food.

Answer 6

Quit wasting money and food, give both 2 the poor people around your own hood, grow up and be a MAN !!

Answer 7

probabley not. it would make you feel fuller just as smelling good food can satisfy me.

but if you swallow anything, even the oils or lil particles, that's adding slowly but surely to your calorie count!

Answer 8

hunger is the first thing that comes to mind...
But really don't be silly... if you have the self control to chew food and spit it out you have the self control to eat right.

Answer 9

well you lose tons of money ,food is wasted and you are teasing your body