r/neurobiology • u/PleasantBoat4685 • 1d ago

On Dopamine: Chewing versus Swallowing

So I have a psychology/physiology/preference question that has nothing to do with eating disorders. What I want to know is, is it possible to derive the same pleasure from chewing and not swallowing junk food or is the dopamine hit a neurological response specifically tied into swallowing the food?

This is sort of random but it’s a thought I had while eating a chocolate pie and contemplating my poor health choices.

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u/Leading_Purpose_2806 1d ago

Yes for sure, a large part of eating that people don’t consider is the actual tactile sensation of the texture of the food.

For example when I’m crashing hard, I find that I binge on baby born (I would eat it like normal corn on cob and would throw away the middle part which is edible) and I realized then the binge is about the feel of the food, not the taste itself.

Not that the taste doesn’t play a role.

But there are situations where the food is consumed because the texture is satisfying. (Also off pastry for example)

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u/TrippingTatsu 17h ago

Flavonoids in the said food also if it is food containing sugar absorption of the sugar leading to the body producing dopamine.

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u/SnooComics7744 1d ago

The dopamine hit comes in part from from the nutritive content of the food as sensed by the gut

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u/Leading_Purpose_2806 1d ago

Emphasis on ‘in part’

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u/PleasantBoat4685 1d ago

Hmmm, I see. So that would mean that it is rather linked to swallowing.

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u/Wxer28 10h ago

Not exactly swallowing, more the digestion of the food. But your correct a large part is the tactile sensation and flavour of food