Unexpected Benefits Of Eating With Your Hands

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Modern people rarely eat with their hands, although this tradition still exists in some cultures. Undoubtedly, using cutlery is much more convenient, but eating with your hands has its advantages

All of us are taught from childhood that eating with our hands is bad manners. But some Western research suggests that sometimes this “primitive” way of eating can be beneficial. It is not in vain that such a tradition has been preserved in some, mainly Eastern countries. For example, in India, Japan and the countries of Central Asia, many dishes are eaten by hand. Of course, your hands should be perfectly clean. Here are some of the benefits of eating without cutlery:

1. Aggravation of the senses

Eating is a sensory experience that can evoke emotion and passion. According to the ancient Indian teachings of Ayurveda, each finger of the hand is a continuation of five elements: the thumb is associated with space, the index finger is associated with air, the middle finger is with fire, the ring finger is with water, and the little finger is with the earth. When a person eats with his hands, all of these five elements are activated. It is very important to keep the body balanced and healthy. In addition, the senses begin to work well, helping to better perceive the taste, texture and aroma of food.

2. Natural temperature sensor

When a person eats with a spoon or fork, he can only determine the temperature of the food by touching it with his lips or tongue. And this is often fraught with minor burns and discomfort. If you eat with your hands, you can touch the temperature with your fingers before putting the food into your mouth. Nerve endings in the skin also send signals to the brain about what the person is about to eat. This triggers the release of the appropriate digestive juices and enzymes to better taste the food and then digest it well.

3. Reduces the risk of developing diabetes

One study by the European Society of Endocrinology shows that people who use cutlery while eating are 2.5 times more likely to suffer from diabetes than those who eat with their hands. This is because a spoon or fork makes it easier and faster to absorb food, thereby encouraging a person to eat more. When hands are used, the person eating is better at controlling the amount eaten and avoiding overeating, which leads to an imbalance in blood sugar and increases the risk of diabetes. In all eastern cultures where hand-eating is common, slow eating is practiced, which is good for improving digestion and preventing obesity.

4. Makes the process of eating food more conscious

For many, eating with cutlery is like a familiar, mechanical process, during which a person often does not pay much attention to what and how much he eats. When food is sent to the mouth with the help of hands, the person eating is more conscious about what and how much he eats.

5. Improves digestion

When a person touches food with their hands rather than cutlery, signals are sent to the brain to release digestive juices and enzymes. So it is easier for the brain to recognize and understand what commands to send to the digestive organs for better assimilation of a particular type of food. It improves the digestion process, which is essential for a healthy body and mind.

6. Encourages responsible hand hygiene

At first glance, you might think that eating food with your hands is terribly unhygienic. However, those who often prefer to eat like this have to wash their hands before eating. People who use their usual cutlery often forget to even rinse their hands before going to the table. Of course, hand hygiene is practiced all over the world and is observed not only before meals, but also several times a day. However, when it comes to using spoons, forks and other utensils, hands are often rushed. In a situation where you have to eat with your hands, you will have to wash them properly.

Additional tips:

- For eating with your hands, you should carefully monitor hand hygiene and wash them both before and after meals.

- It is better to cut large products and parts of the dish into convenient sizes so that they can be easily grasped with your hands.

- During the process of eating, with the help of your hands you often have to bend over the plate, but this is not a reason to slouch. You need to make an effort to sit up straight without your elbows resting on the table.

- It is advisable to take only small pieces to make them easier to chew and digest.

Food can be handled in many ways. Despite the listed advantages, it is not at all necessary to remove the usual cutlery from the kitchen. You can eat with your hands from time to time, for example, going on a picnic, on a hike or after preparing certain dishes: pilaf, pancakes, sushi, pizza, etc.

How do you feel about this way of absorbing food?