How to Practice Mindful Eating

Different techniques for connecting with your food and improving digestion

The other night I cooked up a new recipe- ground beef, tomato paste, chickpeas, onion, bone broth, and garlic. As I’ve taken up gardening, I’ve been thinking about where each one of the foods I eat comes from. So much work and time go into growing one radish, one carrot, one cucumber.

As I was cooking dinner and pouring the can of chickpeas into the pan, I started thinking about the journey of those chickpeas. Someone had to grow them, pick them, pressure cook them and package them into that little can. I didn’t even know what a chickpea plant looks like. And here I am eating them, only having gone to the local Sprouts to pick up that can.

I felt disconnected from what I was eating. I had to Google what a chickpea plant looked like. And, in case you are also wondering, here it is:

Probably not what you were expecting, huh?

I’d be curious to know what percentage of Americans are aware of what this plant looks like. Or, what percentage has ever even wondered about their food on a deeper level?

During the same Sprouts trip where I picked up the can of chickpeas, I also bought some avocados. As I was checking out, I scanned the little barcode stuck to the avocado. I actually felt shame while doing so. Here I am scanning my food. This is not how it’s meant to be. We are not meant to be sticking barcodes to our food and using technology to “harvest” it.

I think this is a large reason why a majority of the population is also obese and sick. We consume food without thinking about all of the hard work that goes into it. Not only do so many different conditions in nature have to be just right to produce that food, but then someone spends lots of energy and hard work harvesting that food.

If we knew all of the blood and sweat that came with growing food, we’d appreciate that tomato or a handful of walnuts way more. Instead of throwing out excess or not eating something that we don’t like, we would thank it for the nutrients it is providing us.

Food was once a way for us to connect to the Earth and to nature. We would eat with the seasons, only eating what the ground could provide us at that time. We appreciated summer for the juicy tomatoes and cucumbers it provided and fall for the hearty squashes. The only time we could have a radish in the off-season is if we pickled and preserved it for the months to come.

Mindful Eating Practices

I’m also a firm believer that this is the reason we are experiencing so many gut issues. If you’ve ever talked to a gut specialist, then they’ve probably explained to you the importance of smelling your food, being present with it, and slowing down while eating it. These different factors, all tied to connection, can help you digest food better!

Remove distractions.

It’s no secret that we shouldn’t be eating dinner in front of a large TV screen, staring at the local programming like zombies while shoveling food down our mouths. But it happens, let’s be honest.

The best meals are usually those shared with family and friends, telling stories and talking about one another’s days. And this is because you are fully present with others, yourself, and your meal. You are only thinking about each other and the food on your plate. You aren’t trying to escape, using technology for spikes in dopamine.

Distraction-free eating also goes hand in hand with the other two tips I’ll mention. When you are present, you are in the right headspace to focus on the smell and texture of your food. You aren’t distracted by the colorful visuals and loud noises of technology.

Have you ever noticed when traveling to small towns in Europe that communities like to eat their meals together? When I was in a small village in Greece, my friend and I cooked up a lovely meal in a cooking class with the owner of a local hotel. We had plenty of food, so she decided to invite over her brother and the local wine producer. They sat at the table next to us, laughing and enjoying the vegetables we had just cooked.

People in remote places, perhaps in the Blue Zones, are always connected to their food. You will never see a phone or laptop sitting in front of them while they are having a meal. Only good people! They are all about community and being present. This is just one of many things that lead to a lack of health issues.

Smell your food.

Olfactory is the first step of digestion. Smelling your food signals your body to prepare for it. This is because the olfactory system is directly related to the endocrine system which controls metabolism. No wonder you may get hungry or start salivating from something that smells delicious!

A study on mice found that the scent of food was enough to trigger the metabolic processes of the liver normally triggered by food. By NOT smelling our food, our body is skipping key processes it needed to help produce the hormones needed for digestion. This could lead to things like overeating, gas, or bloating.

Chew your food thoroughly.

Chewing is another process that helps aid in our digestion process. When you chew, saliva is produced that moistens your food so that it easily goes down the esophagus. It also includes key enzymes that help your body break down the nutrients in food. Chewing also triggers hydrochloric acid to be released in the stomach, ensuring your stomach is at the right pH for digestion to occur properly.

So you may be wondering, well, how much should I chew? According to studies, your food should be chewed 32-40 times before being swallowed! While I don’t think it is realistic to count the number of times you are chewing a piece of food, I think it’s important to be mindful of how fast you are eating.

I’ve had way too many instances where I am starving, so I scarf down my food as fast as possible, only to find myself bloated, gassy, or tired after- all symptoms of not chewing enough! However, when I am present with my food, smelling it, and truly tasting it, I experience these symptoms a lot less.

Take action

Put the screens down each time you eat. Better yet, leave them in another room! No Youtube, no Netflix, no Instagram. Be fully present with your meal and savor each bite.

Not only will your digestion improve, but so will your relationships. Sharing a meal and conversation with someone is one of the best ways to bring two people together.

You’ll most likely also find that you have fewer cravings and aren’t overeating as often. Because you are enjoying your meals to their fullest, you are leaving satisfied and full.

Sebastian and I are currently working on a new website where we will be hosting events and creating more blog content. Look out for that!

Until then, stay healthy!

Madison