Eating is one of those daily habits that comes naturally; you simply put food in your mouth, chew it, and swallow it.
Do we really need to have a specific eating habit in order to get the most out of it? The answer is yes or no.
Yes, because you need to tailor your eating habits to your body.
No, because you are not required to follow or change your eating habits based on what someone says or is doing.
Healthy eating habits are those that are suitable for your body and are in sync with or in alignment with your needs and lifestyle.
In the Ayurveda scriptures, there are certain eating habits that are applicable even to this day. In this article, we will understand a few of these healthy eating habits mentioned in the scriptures, their benefits, and how they can be included in your daily routine.
What are healthy eating habits?
A set of actions or activities that are followed while eating to ensure maximum benefit from the food that we consume are known as healthy eating habits.
It is important to note here that how you eat is as important as what you eat.
What you eat will primarily consist of the vegetables, fruits, or nutrients you get from the food.
How you eat: include your posture while eating, temperature of the food, utensils used, surroundings, etc.
In this article, we will discuss in depth “how you eat.”
Good, healthy eating habits
Various scholars mention various habits and benefits; I have attempted to compile and highlight the ones I believe are easily adoptable.
Warm food
It is recommended that any food be consumed when it is warm and freshly prepared.
The reason being, our core body functions at a certain temperature. If you eat food that is stale or cold, your body will need to expend more energy to digest that food.
This improves the taste of the food, helps improve digestion, and assists in normal functioning of the body
Unctuous food
Unctuous does not literally mean oil dripping from your food; it means to include a certain amount of ghee,butter, vegetable oil, etc., in your food. It can be included while preparing or while consuming food.
This helps fast digestion of the food, improves functioning of the sense organs, improves your skin complexion, prevents dryness, improves strength, etc.
Quantity of food
This varies from person to person, depending on their strength, daily activities, capacity, health, and so on. One has to consume the right quantity of food.
The most common saying is to only eat until you are 3/4 full.
Benefits of this include ensuring proper digestion of food without overloading the digestive tract, improving strength, maintaining equilibrium inside the body, ensuring proper functioning of the internal organs, etc.
Proper processing of food
Individual vegetables, fruits, and grains must be processed in a variety of steps in order to increase their nutrient content and absorption into the body.
Having food items that have not been processed or are incompletely processed makes digestion difficult or causes diseases.
Incompatible food
Certain food articles are not to be consumed in combination. Such combinations cause indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea or similar digestive tract diseases
- Dairy items with fish are one example of such a combination.
- Equal quantity of ghee and honey
Pase of eating food
I am sure you all have heard of the food challenges in restaurants: Finish x plates in 30 minutes and get y amount as a price.
While these challenges appear to be fancy and fun, they are not beneficial to your health. Eating food too quickly or too slowly makes it difficult for your body to digest. Your body will spend the majority of its energy digesting food, while it can store or spend it on building your skin, muscles, or carrying out any other function of the body.
So eating a moderate pace is ideal while eating any food
nature of food
It refers to eating foods that are appropriate for your location, including climate, temperature, food availability, and so on.
We all enjoy eating fancy foods from around the world, and it is important to try them all. But it is not recommended to eat it on a regular basis.
Your body is accustomed to the environment in which you live, including the climate and temperature, so it is critical that you eat foods that are compatible with it.
Eating the opposite puts your body into overdrive and deprives it of the nutrients it needs to function at its best.
One such example is the widespread use of ghee in Rajasthan, where their bodies require a specific amount of ghee or an unctuous substance to function.
You cannot consume the same amount of ghee if you live in coastal areas. You will be over-nourishing your body
Benefits of healthy eating habits
- Increases strength.
- Your energy levels are at an optimal level.
- Internal organs, particularly the digestive tract, will function optimally, ensuring that all necessary nutrients are processed and absorbed from the food.
- Your overall physical health will be taken care of.
- Weight is kept stable and balanced.
- Metabolism gets better
- Immunity is boosted
- Improved mental health.
Importance of healthy eating habits
While it is difficult to measure the results that we get from following healthy eating habits and their results, it is noteworthy to mention that these results compound over time to help you attain massive returns from them.
We are what we eat, so being mindful of how we eat along with what we eat is also equally important.
Healthy eating habits are critical for overall health because they supply essential nutrients for energy and vitality. They contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases, promote healthy weight management, and improve mental clarity.
In essence, healthy eating is a lifetime investment in health, with numerous advantages for a vibrant and fulfilling life.
Conclusion
To summarize, embracing healthy eating habits is more than just what we put on our plates; it is a commitment to nurturing our bodies, minds, and overall well-being.
Every meal, from the vibrant colors of fresh fruits and vegetables to the nourishing power of whole grains and lean proteins, presents an opportunity to fuel our lives with vitality and resilience.
Making mindful choices not only helps us avoid diseases and manage our weight, but it also boosts our energy, clarity, and immunity.
So, one delicious bite at a time.
Let us enjoy the flavors of wholesome foods, cultivate a positive relationship with what we eat, and embark on a journey toward a healthier, happier life.
Now, let me know in the comments section whether we need healthy eating habits or not ?!