mind full eating, and is it good for you ?
Mindful eating is a practice that encourages people to focus on enjoying food while utilizing all of the senses, according to a 2015 review published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Unlike so-called “mindless eating,” which usually involves consuming meals quickly and without paying attention, there are some basic principles to mindful eating.
“The focus is really on the meal,” said Laura May Janse Van Rensburg, a dietician in England who specializes in eating disorders. “[Factors include] looking at the food and how it is presented on the plate, taking time to enjoy the smell of the food, listening to the sounds of food being served, picking up a fork or spoon and feeling the weight of the cutlery in the hand and then finally eating the food and tasting every bite,” she told Live Science.
Mindful eating has become increasingly popular over the years, with proponents claiming potential benefits including improvements in digestive health and weight loss. So could savoring every mouthful have a positive impact on health? Or is mindful eating just another fad with no basis in science?
WHAT IS MINDFUL EATING?
The main aims of mindful eating are to reduce overeating, eating too quickly and eating to deal with difficult or unwanted emotions, said Sam Jahara, a psychotherapist at Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy in England. “Mindful eating requires slowing down and paying attention to our food and eating in a relaxed, stress-free environment,” she told Live Science. “In practice, it means we can manage our feelings of stress and anxiety by not resorting to overeating or over restricting.”
