Every living being on this planet eats in one way or another. A macrophage cell eats bacteria, a plant eats light, a spider eats insects, and we consume almost everything. Eating serves a straightforward motive: survival. When a wolf consumes a rabbit, it does so not out of taste or boredom but solely to acquire energy and sustain life. Contrast this with humans in industrialized nations. We have an advantage no other organsim has; we can use something called mindful eating.
Food transcends its basic function of sustenance, serving as a cornerstone of human connection and culture. Shared meals with loved ones during holidays create cherished memories, while food culture binds communities together and facilitates the global exchange of ideas and experiences. Additionally, one of the key pleasures of travel is savoring new and authentic cuisines, which allows us to explore and appreciate the diversity of cultures around the world.
The shift in human motivation from mere survival to the pursuit of pleasure paved the way for the emergence of gastronomy. Rooted in Greek origins, the term “gastronomy” combines “gastro” (stomach) and “nomos” (knowledge or laws). This field of study was popularized by influential figures such as Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), a French lawyer and politician renowned for his work “Physiologie du goût” (The Physiology of Taste), and Grimod de La Reynière (1758-1837), another lawyer of Napoleon’s era who authored “Almanach des gourmands” (Gourmands’ Almanac).
Indeed, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin elevated the status of gastronomy with his subsequent work, “Gastronomy as a Fine Art: Or the Science of Good Living.” He championed the idea that gastronomy is not merely sustenance but a refined art form. The philosophy of mindful eating is intriguing; similar to how painting engages our sight and music our hearing, food captivates our five senses.
Mindful Eating through our senses
Taste
Taste is the most obvious sense involved in gastronomy. Our tongue is a complex organ, that houses thousands of taste buds divided into different categories. These taste buds can distinguish five primary tastes: sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and umami. As you can imagine, by combining different flavored ingredients with these basic tastes, an infinite number of flavor combinations become possible. Each flavor harping on our strings in a unique and exciting way.
Sight
It doesn’t stop at taste, multiple senses contribute to the culinary experience. Sight is particularly powerful; the mere appearance of food can trigger physiological responses that prepare our bodies for consumption. Moreover, food presentation evokes emotional reactions. Consider your favorite dish: its visual appeal alone can generate excitement, happiness, and anticipation. I know how I feel at the sight of a chicken shawarma sandwich.
Smell
Our sense of smell is equally a core contributor to our sensory journey with food. Aromas such as freshly baked cookies, barbecue on the grill, or popcorn all probe different emotions within us. The comforting scent of cookies might induce feelings of coziness, while the smoky aroma of barbecue can transport us to a summer adventure. All these smells speak to our memory and imagination, and allows us eat mindfully.
Hearing
This sensory journey doesn’t conclude with smell and sight, but also speaks to our hearing sense…you heard that right. The sound of a sizzling Fajita arriving at your table or the sound of crispy chicken as you take a bite adds a unique depth to our enjoyment. While other animals may perceive these sounds, humans have the unique ability to consciously appreciate them as an integral part of the dining experience.
Touch
We’ve explored nearly all the senses involved in gastronomy, so let’s put the final touch by examining the sense of touch. Eating a piece of chicken with utensils offers a completely different experience compared to eating with your hands. Recently, during a visit to Australia, I dined at a Yemeni restaurant where eating with hands was the norm. I seized the opportunity and ate the rice with my hands for the first time, finding that my food experience was greatly enhanced. I felt connected to the food, experiencing a sense of primal gratitude— not that I was above the rice and meat on my plate, but thankful for the opportunity to be mindful of what I was eating.
Culinary contemplation
We started with hunting and gathering for survival, then saw spices influencing the world economy, leading to today’s abundance in culinary variety. Now more than ever, there are hundreds of fine-dining restaurants around the world. We often perceive these establishments as excessively priced and not filling. Just one bite per plate? This seems entirely unreasonable from a purely sustenance perspective. Fine-dining is not meant to be experienced to satisfy our hunger, but rather an avenue to experience and appreciate culinary artistry. The techniques used in food preparation, the quality of ingredients, the presentation, and the stories behind each dish collaborate to narrate a compelling tale and engage our senses. We just have to adjust our perspective and immerse ourselves in a extraordinary form of art that tickles all our senses.
Tips for Mindful Eating
This article is by no means an advocacy for fine-dining restaurants. While there’s an etiquette to dining at such places, not every meal has to be worth a fortune to evoke our emotions. Consider your mother’s cooking or street food, for example. How many times has a midnight taco spoken to your emotions and senses? It starts with the aroma, followed by the sight of the food truck, the vibrant colors of the food, handling it with your hands, and finally tasting something delicious. This is article is, however, a call for mindful eating. Here are some tips that I personally found useful:
- Avoid distractions: From time to time, turn off the TV, put your phone down, and give the plate your undivided attention. The TV/phone can distract you, taking away from your sight, hearing, and conscious engagement with your food.
- Slow down: If you’re a fast eater, like me, you might finish a meal that took 2 hours to prepare in less than 10 minutes. Try to deliberately slow down to smell, chew, and truly taste the food before swallowing. It makes a big difference. Taking small bites is particularly helpful for slowing down.
- Use your hands more often: Whenever possible, try eating with your hands. It can enhance your connection with the food.
- Express gratitude: Take a brief moment before eating to reflect on the effort that went into preparing it and expresses gratitude for having food today. When consuming animal-based products, this practice acknowledges and honors what was once alive.
While one may find eating mindfully restrictive for such a simple human act, its purpose is to add depth to our experiences and apply the ever so old cliché; enjoy the simple things in life.
