Chewing 33 Times: The Prophet's Ethics of Eating and Its Benefits From a Medical Viewpoint

Name : Hafizh Cahya Aryansyah

NIM: 20711034

Chewing 33 Times: The Prophet's Eating Ethics and

Benefits From a Medical Viewpoint

Rasulullah saw. as a role model for humans has taught various ethics of life which of course has vast benefits. Included in his teachings is the etiquette of eating, one of which is eating slowly. In this case, what is meant by eating slowly is not in a hurry and chewing food perfectly. As the hadith of Rasulullah SAW:

نﺎﻄﯿﺸﻟا ﻦﻣ ﺔﻠﺠﻌﻟا و ﷲ ﻦﻣ ﻲﻧﺄﺘﻟا which means: “Slowness (patience) comes from Allah. While the nature of wanting to be hasty comes from Satan. (Narrated by Al-Baihaqi from Anas bin Malik radhiyallahu'anhu, Ash-Shahih1795).

Rasulullah saw. also said "Minimize the mouthful and good chewing". In some sources, it is stated that the Apostle chewed his food 33 times and some mentioned 32 times. The meaning of this is not how much to chew, but the recommendation to chew thoroughly until the food you swallow becomes smooth (Kamaratih, 2021).

Humans often do not pay attention to the recommendations above and eat in a hurry, especially when they are hungry or when they are busy. Even though this recommendation is very important because chewing is the first stage in the digestive process before food is swallowed and enters the esophagus. The chewing process aims to reduce the size of the food so that boluses (small particles) are formed that are easy to swallow and reduce the risk of choking. In addition, saliva in the mouth contains water and mucus which also plays a role in the process. Food will be wetted by water and bound by mucus so that it becomes slippery and easy to swallow. Saliva also contains the enzyme ptyalin (amylase) which functions to convert carbohydrates into simple sugars (maltose) so that they are more easily digested by the body. By chewing perfectly, the contact time between food and saliva becomes more optimal (Sukri, 2018).

Food that is thoroughly chewed (33 times chewed) can ease the stomach's work because only small particles can be easily digested by the enzymes in the stomach. Conversely, food that is difficult to digest can cause stomach acid to rise and food scraps into the esophagus. These events can trigger GERD or what is known as ulcer disease (Sukri, 2018).

After being digested by the stomach, food will be absorbed by the intestine which is selective. Only particles <15 microns (0,015 mm) in size can be absorbed by the intestine, while particles larger than that are immediately excreted from the body. Food that is not chewed properly cannot be absorbed properly in the intestines. This can cause the body to become deficient in nutrients because the food will be immediately excreted from the body without being properly absorbed. This leftover food will then be fermented by bad bacteria in the intestines and produce gas. The fermented gas can cause flatulence, belching, and excessive flatulence (Rahmah, 2022).

Besides being beneficial for the digestive process, chewing slowly and perfectly can also help you lose weight. When a person chews slowly, the brain will send a signal that the food is sufficient so that the stomach will become full faster. Thus, eating portions will become more controlled and have a positive impact on weight loss (FKM UI, 2020).

source:

AKG FKM UI. (2020). Do you know the benefits of chewing food properly and correctly? Retrieved on May 14, 2023, from https://akg.fkm.ui.ac.id/tahu-kamu-untung-mengunyah-dinding-dengan-baik-dan- benar/

Kamaratih, Phooby. (2021). 5 Benefits of Prophet Muhammad's Healthy Habits That Must Be Imitated. Retrieved on May 14, 2023, from https://m.oase.id/read/eRoGjR-5-untung-keJadian-sehat-ala-nabi-muhammad-yang-w ajib-ditiru

Rahmah, Nur M., Zulfa, Arina D., Meylinda, R., & Zahra, H. (2022). The Ethics of Eating the Prophet in the Perspective of Medical Science. Prosding of the Conference on the Integration of Interconnection of Islam and Science, 4, 128-133.

Sukri, Suwardi. (2018). The secret of the Prophet Sunnah to Chew Food. Retrieved May 14, 2023, from