Ask Mary

Chewing food completely does help digestion by mechanical processing, mixing food with the enzymes in saliva, and by triggering the digestive tract to do its thing.  Chewing each mouthful between 20 and 50 times is enough, although it depends on the specific food, the condition of your teeth, the size of your mouth, and the forcefulness of your chew!  The general rule is to chew food to the point where you can no longer feel its original texture.  Instead of counting chews, some people chew for a set amount of time, either measured by a stopwatch or for as long at it takes to recite a rhyme or a Bible verse.