Mindful eating involves focusing on the act of eating and on how you feel when you eat. This practice can help you relax and slow down when eating, which may result in numerous health benefits — such as better digestion, improved portion control, and weight management. To get started practicing mindful eating, learn more about the benefits, ways to practice it, and a list of foods that can help you embrace this healthy behavior.
What Is Mindful Eating?
The concept of mindful eating is based on mindfulness meditation, which involves living in the present moment. While practicing mindfulness meditation, you maintain real-time awareness of everything happening in your body and what’s happening around you, such as your thoughts and feelings, as well as sounds and sensations.
Mindful eating is similar to mindfulness meditation, but it involves using mindfulness to pay closer attention to the foods you eat and how your body feels while you’re eating them. You focus on how foods taste and feel and recognize when you feel full. This eating behavior can also reduce stress and help you feel more relaxed.
What Are the Benefits of Mindful Eating?
In the United States, nearly 42% of adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Technology may be partly a cause of this, given how smartphones, televisions, and other devices can be distracting during mealtimes and can lead to mindless eating. When eating becomes a mindless act, it can be easy to eat too quickly and too much and to ignore your brain when it’s signaling to you that your stomach is full.
Mindful eating involves eliminating distractions such as social media and television during mealtimes and focusing solely on your food and on the act of eating. Some of the benefits of mindful eating include:
- Weight loss and weight management
- The ability to differentiate between physical and emotional hunger
- Improved portion control
- The ability to identify unhealthy eating triggers
- Higher confidence and self-esteem
- A sense of empowerment
- A reduced risk of eating disorders
- Improved digestion
- Greater satisfaction from foods
- A reduction in stress
- A reduced risk of gastrointestinal issues
How Do You Practice Mindful Eating?
The primary goal of mindful eating is to enjoy the act of eating and to gain a better understanding of how your eating behaviors can affect your overall health. Here are some general steps you can follow if you want to practice mindful eating:
- Eliminate distractions when eating. You might put your phone away and turn off your television.
- Assess your emotions before sitting down to eat. Are you stressed, angry, or bored? If so, consider another activity that can better address that emotion.
- Take a moment to honor your food. Acknowledge where your food came from and who prepared it for you.
- Serve yourself a modest portion. Use a smaller plate or bowl to avoid overeating.
- Take small bites, and chew your food slowly and thoroughly. Eating slowly helps you recognize when your stomach is nearly full and when it’s time to stop eating.
- Engage all your senses when eating. Take note of the colors of your food, the aromas, its taste, and the way it feels in your mouth.
- Try to identify spices and seasonings. Take breaks between bites to recognize these flavors.
- Don’t skip meals. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and snack between meals if necessary to avoid feeling too hungry and overeating at dinnertime.
- Choose healthy foods packed with nutrients. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are some of the many nutritious foods that are good for your mind and body.
Which Foods Are Ideal for Mindful Eating?
You can eat any type of food mindfully, but some of the best mindful eating experiences may stem from foods and meals that take longer to prepare and eat. Preparing your own meals can help you appreciate and enjoy your food even more, especially if you put more time and work into their creation. Below are some suggestions to help you get started with mindful eating:
- Pomegranates: These fruits require you to carefully cut and peel them before popping out individual seeds.
- Pistachios and other nuts: Nuts must be removed from their shells before eating and require thorough chewing before swallowing.
- Citrus fruits: Oranges, grapefruits, and other citrus fruits must be peeled before eating and often contain lots of fiber that needs thorough chewing.
- Raw carrots and celery: Every bite you take of a crunchy vegetable, like a carrot, usually takes a minute or two to chew and swallow.
- Salads: Many salads contain a variety of vegetables and take some time to prepare, given how they involve washing, slicing, and combining all your greens and veggies.
When it becomes a regular part of your lifestyle, mindful eating can help you maintain good digestion and overall health for years to come. Eating mindfully can transform your relationship with food and guide you toward making healthier choices that satisfy both your body and palate.
Resource Links
“Mindfulness for Your Health” via National Institutes of Health
“Adult Obesity Facts” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
“Mindful Eating: A Review Of How The Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate And Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Function” via Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal
“Mindful Eating: Benefits, Challenges, and Strategies” via Utah State University
“Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat” via Diabetes Spectrum
“Mindful Eating” via Harvard