Effect of chewing hard material on enhancing cognitive function
56 comments
·March 3, 2025austin-cheney
> However, the mechanisms linking cerebral blood flow increase to metabolic changes in the brain affecting cognition remain unclear.
Stanford research published after that article provides that answer: Face shape. It's not just better cognitive performance but the alternative contributes to face shape commonly perceived as "not beautiful".
The Stanford research, and no I don't have a link, concludes there are two activities responsible for these traits: slurping soft foods and mouth breathing. The alternative to chewing hard foods is slurping soft foods and the frequent activity of slurping alters the shape of a person's face as they grow because humans were really only designed to consistently slurp soft foods in infancy, but the shape of the face will elongate to compensate for slurping along with inferior jaw bone strength.
The alternative to nose breathing is mouth breathing, which drastically lowers oxygen intake which mimics and contributes to sleep apnea like conditions even while awake. There is a measured cognitive decline associated with the degree of oxygen suppressed in air intake. Mouth breathing also negatively contributes to developmental face shape, but less so than slurping soft foods.
msie
I don't get why mouth-breathing drastically lowers oxygen intake.
VOIPThrowaway
As I understand it, when exhaling, the nose create backpressure that facilitates gas transfer in the lungs.
However, my nose is decorative, and I must breath though my mouth. No repercussions as I can mountain climb.
TeMPOraL
Makes no sense - I'd expect the opposite, given how easier it is to breathe in and out larger volume of air through the mouth than through the nose.
austin-cheney
Why? Internally to the face the nasal cavity is massive and largely not restricted, especially compared to the throat (pharynx) which is restricted and can accept only small volumes of air at a time. Because of that the body must work substantially harder to permit large air volumes through mouth breathing.
Just search google images for "pharynx". The visual difference in size is striking.
The28thDuck
I want to say that it’s not a linear relationship between hardness and cognitive function. There’s something about putting effort into biting something and it “giving” that, to me, makes this super satisfying and kinda puts me into a flow in a way. The tactical feedback is important. Maybe I’m just weird. :)
bob1029
The term for this in the food business is "mouthfeel". It is a gigantic part of their R&D process.
galaxyLogic
How about chewing gum? Especially chewing Xylitol chewing gum.
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-996/xylitol
spudlyo
I do some language learning study at roughly the same time every morning with gum. I spike it with 1mg dose of Nicorette (which I get by cutting a 4mg square into quarters) for its well documented effects on learning and cognition. It hadn't ocured to me that chewing might have a benefit as well. As a former smoker, I'm well aware of how addictive nicotine is, so I'm careful.
MrMcCall
In Turkiye, they have unflavored gum. I couldn't believe it!
Now I know, now I know. Interesting new fact of the day.
I wonder how it affects the teeth? Perhaps it helps strengthen them. Perhaps it wears them down more quickly. I couldn't hazard a guess.
[ETA: After reading about the TMJ elsehere, it looks like that mandibular joint is of greater concern. Gotta be careful with that wear-and-tear.]
tiahura
Do not binge Xylitol on an empty stomach.
devmor
That is covered in the linked article.
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karmakaze
I kept a platter pack of almonds by my desk. I had to stop because it was starting to make me feel ill. There's no poison risk AFAIK from store bought almonds which are the sweet (not bitter) variety.
bluedino
I used to always chew on a scrap piece of CAT5 when doing cabling etc
virgil_disgr4ce
I assume this will turn into some kind of insane tiktok "life hack" trend that makes increasingly outrageous and false claims, and then in a couple months dentists will see their revenues jump.
Lalabadie
You can google the book "Jaws: A hidden epidemic" if you'd like to get started in the rabbit hole without delay!
boothby
I just googled "indium chewing gum" and was not disappointed.
ecolonsmak
Huh, are there speciality chewing sticks purpose made for this?
stronglikedan
Yes! You have one on the tip of each finger. Just don't go too crazy because while they're rechargeable, they recharge very slowly.
itzTheMeow_
what do you do when you're all out?
RandomBacon
There's an emergency backup source located at the ends of your two other large extremities.
sithadmin
'Miswak' sticks are popular in the Middle East/Northern Africa.
Raw mastic gum seems to be gaining popularity in the US.
Neither is popular for the explicit purpose of cognitive enhancement, though.
fuzztester
>Miswak' sticks are popular in the Middle East/Northern Africa.
that is for cleaning the teeth, and I read somewhere that there is some evident that it is somewhat effective in reducing tooth decay.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak
in India there was or is a toothpaste brand called Meswak, which includes miswak as an ingredient.
nice wordplay in your username :)
agumonkey
I know that there are hard rubber like material that were made to strengthen jaw muscles.
Licorice sticks might be used too.
cenamus
I personally use turkish falim gum, you can get it basically without flavor, it's pretty hard and you can chew on it for >1h without it tasting weird
agumonkey
very nice, i didn't know about it, thanks
glompers
glycyrrhizic acid in licorice can drop your blood potassium level and cause cardiac arrhythmia, however, as well as commonly raising blood pressure [1]
tiahura
Doesn't licorice lower intelligence?
_DeadFred_
Hmmm, whoever makes this should also infuse it with carbs so they can also make CHO mouth rinsing claims. Helps to have more than one gimmick in a product.
01100011
Look up teething sticks for toddlers?
karaterobot
Pencils.
calmbonsai
I recall a trend for Wall Street traders to "chew on ice" a few years ago. I believe it originated with Julian Robertson of the Tiger hedge fund.
marstall
first thing that came to mind is toothpicks. wonder if that's where the idea for the study came from. There was a time when men always had a toothpick in their mouth. Guess there was something to it! Seems like the simplest way to "try" this technique as it's certainly tested - or are their health risks for chewing on a toothpick?
mystified5016
Don't swallow it. Your digestive system can't really break down wood. Small particles will pass through, but you definitely do not want a punctured intestine.
nadavwr
I wonder if this offers one explanation for nail biting
nelblu
haha i was wondering the same. I hate my nail biting habit and there are few days where i can go without it and then it comes back and stays.
euroderf
I cannot eat goop and glop in the morning. I need to chew. It makes my brain work better.
Please also include the effect decades later after extensive dental work.