Fast food, digital distraction, and emotional eating are becoming a new norm for most of us. This makes it difficult to maintain a healthy relationship with food. While mindful eating has been advocated by health practitioners and our elders, as it lies in ancient wisdom as well as supported by modern science, the right approach can transform how we eat. While many may believe that mindful eating is only about avoiding junk food and not eating sugar, it is much more than that. There are practical ways of practicing mindful eating where you build a relationship with food by different techniques. ETV Bharat Lifestyle Team got in touch with Dr Manoj Kutteri, Medical Director and CEO of Atmantan Wellness Centre to know more about mindful eating and how one can incorporate in their daily routine.
Understanding Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is an approach that involves being present and intentional while consuming food. Derived from Buddhist teachings, mindful eating is widely adapted for modern dietary practices. According to Harvard Health, mindful eating helps individuals tune into hunger and satiety cues, leading to better digestion and reduced overeating.
"Unlike dieting, which often promotes restriction, mindful eating focuses on enhancing your relationship with food through awareness. You start appreciating food which leads to nourishment, and gratitude, and allows you to make healthier choices based on how your body feels rather than external pressures," explains Dr Kutteri.
Techniques of Mindful Eating
Eating with awareness:
Engage with your food with all your senses while eating. Observe the colour, smell, the aroma and feel the texture of the food before consuming it. You will feel more satisfied and won't overeat.
Chew well:
They say, chew your food for at least 21 times. Chewing food slowly and thoroughly helps improve digestion and enhances the eating experience. Chew for 20-30 times per bite to break down the food completely. This will allow your brain to register the food.
Know When You Are Full:
Emotional hunger and physical hunger are two different things. The Hunger Scale technique–rating hunger on the scale of 1 to 10 can help know when to eat and when to stop.
Watch Your Portions:
To start with, serve a small amount of food on your plate. This is for two reasons, one, if you can't finish, you won't waste the food, second, this will help you be mindful of consumption and prevent overindulgence.
Avoid distractions:
Most of us have a habit of talking while eating or scrolling through our phones, or watching television. This can distract you from your food. Have a designated space for meals to engage with the food completely and enjoy the eating process.
Fast with Conviction:
Intermittent fasting is a new health trend. While mindful fasting helps the body reset digestion, improve metabolism, and promote spiritual and mental clarity, fasting has to be done with awareness rather than depriving your hunger. This will do more harm than good.
Build an Emotional Connection With Food
You become what you eat. So build an emotional connection with your food. Once you recognise this connection, it will lead you to healthier habits.
- Emotional eating at times stems from stress, boredom, sadness, or celebration. Identify emotional triggers as they will help you make conscious food choices rather than using food as a coping mechanism.
- Avoid eating when you are not feeling emotionally balanced. Consuming food when feeling anxious or sad can lead to mindless eating and poor digestion.
- Recognise the food that gives you comfort, but it should be nourishing to your body and mind to the same time.
- Warm, nutrient-dense foods such as soups, herbal teas, whole grains, and fresh produce are best to restore emotional well-being and balance.
Therapeutic Benefits of Eating Right
Hippocrates famously stated, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Certain foods have medicinal properties that help in preventing and healing ailments.
- Gut-Healing Foods – Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and kombucha support gut health and digestion.
- Anti-Inflammatory Diet – Turmeric, ginger, and green leafy vegetables reduce inflammation and promote overall well-being.
- Brain-Boosting Foods – Omega-3-rich foods like walnuts, flaxseeds, and fatty fish enhance cognitive function.
- Mood-Enhancing Foods – Dark chocolate, bananas, and nuts improve serotonin levels, supporting emotional balance.
- Managing Temptations and Cravings
- Cravings are natural but can be managed through mindful strategies:
- Instead of cutting out certain foods entirely, find healthier alternatives. Swap refined sugar for honey, white rice for quinoa, and processed snacks for nuts and fruits.
- Practice the 80/20 rule, which means eating nourishing foods 80% of the time and allowing 20% for indulgences without guilt.
- Drink enough water as often thirst is mistaken with hunger and one indulges in unwanted eating.
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