Mindful Eating: A Guide to Nourishing Your Body and Soul

Have you ever found yourself mindlessly eating a bag of chips while watching TV, only to realise the entire bag has disappeared without actually tasting or enjoying them? This common scenario highlights the importance of mindful eating, which is based on mindfulness, which is a Buddhist concept.

What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating is a practice that involves being fully present and aware of the eating experience. It involves paying attention to the tastes, smells, textures, and sensations of food without judgement. This approach is crucial to cultivating a healthy relationship with food and promoting overall well-being. Hence, mindful eating is not just about what we eat but also how we eat it.

Benefits of mindful eating

Mindful eating has many benefits. 

If you eat too fast, the fullness signal may not arrive until you have already eaten too much. By eating mindfully, you restore your attention and slow down, making eating an intentional act instead of an automatic one.

You also increase your awareness of triggers that make you want to eat, even though you’re not necessarily hungry.

Mindful eating helps you distinguish between emotional and true physical hunger.

Most importantly, mindful eating helps you keep your weight under control.

How to practise mindful eating?

Honour the food: acknowledge where the food was grown and who prepared the meal. Be grateful for the food you are having.

Eliminating distractions: Turn TVs and mobile phones off while eating. Put all your attention on the food you are eating.

Savour small bites and chew thoroughly: put small portions of food on your plate, and make sure to chew your food properly.

Eat slowly to avoid overeating: If you eat slowly, you are more likely to recognise when you are feeling satisfied, or when you are about 80% full, and can stop eating.

Don’t skip meals: Going too long without eating increases the risk of strong hunger, which may lead to the quickest and easiest food choice, not always a healthy one.

In conclusion, incorporating mindful eating habits into daily routines can have profound effects on health and nutrition by promoting weight management, improving digestion, and nurturing a healthier relationship with food.