It’s true. Some people can’t resist an eye roll when hearing the term “mindful eating.”
From an Ayurvedic perspective, there’s nothing pretentious about taking a moment to think about what is in your food, where it came from and how it was raised. This is preventative medicine in action. And it’s also common sense.
We recently wrote about the importance of being more aware of what your appetite is saying about your health. Here, we look at another critical part of the equation. When choosing what you eat, consider these three basic guidelines:
#1. Stay Seasonal
The earth around us mostly produces what we need, when we need it. For example, dense root vegetables, squashes and stored grains ground you during fall and winter. Crisp, astringent and bitter greens, and dry beans, offset the “heaviness” and “stickiness” of spring. And a wide array of sweet melons, berries, fruits and veggies keep your system cool during hot summer months.
We evolved over thousands of years to live in alignment with our surroundings and the seasonal rhythms.
Yet, over the last several decades, we have broken this rhythm. Globalization gives us year-round access to just about every type of food. (Think Chilean-grown, personal-sized, seedless watermelon in January). It has become difficult to identify what is actually in season, much less to follow a seasonal diet.
Simply being aware of the importance of choosing seasonal foods is half the battle.
An abundance of online tools like About.com’s state-specific seasonal produce guides can help you make incremental changes to your diet. Plus, finding a nearby farmers market is usually the best way to ensure you are buying local, seasonal produce. (Resources like the USDA database and Local Harvest can aid you in your search.) Don’t forget to verify that what you’re purchasing was actually grown on site! Some farmers markets allow sellers to buy and resell produce from other regions—and even other countries.
#2. Prepare Whole Foods in Your Own Kitchen
Learning to prepare your own meals is a major step. And when it comes to your health, that step starts with whole foods.
The “whole food” classification is sometimes a source of confusion. What—exactly—constitutes a whole food? And what makes whole foods better than our other choices?
Merriam-Webster defines a whole food as, “a food that is considered healthy because it is grown naturally, has not been processed, and contains no artificial ingredients.” In other words, a whole food is something you eat (a fruit, a vegetable, a grain, a meat, etc.) that is as close as possible to what it looked like when it was alive and living on a tree, in a field, on a bush, etc. A whole food comes from the farm to the store to you.
In Ayurveda, whole foods are the only way to go—the less industrial food system intervention, the greater the benefits to your wellbeing. The science recognizes that foods contain the most goodness (phytonutrients, fiber, antioxidants, Prana, etc.) in their natural form.
Here are some questions to ask yourself when shopping to ensure you are selecting whole foods:
- Do my fruits and vegetables come with their skins on?
- Are my nuts and seeds free of ingredients like vegetable oil and salt?
- Are my greens in bunches and heads (and not pre-bagged)?
- Will my grains (millet, brown rice, oats, rye, buckwheat, quinoa, etc.) take more than a few minutes to cook?
- Do my beans and legumes (lentils, chick peas, kidney beans, etc.) come in their original shells and do I need to soak them to aid in their digestibility?
As you’ve probably already noticed, a whole foods diet can require extra time in the kitchen.
It’s worth it! If you are out of practice or lack fundamental cooking skills, make getting up to speed your new hobby. Sign up for cooking classes, ask a friend or family member for guidance, or access great online resources like Michael Pollan’s cooking FAQs and links.
#3. Opt for Organic
You often see “natural” and “organic” used interchangeably. They are not the same. Organic is a labeling term that indicates that a portion of the product has been produced through USDA approved methods. Unfortunately, there are no standards or regulations on farming practices when labeling foods as natural.
The World’s Healthiest Foods (WHF) reports that university scientists and federal regulators are in agreement that eating fresh, organically grown vegetables and fruits, and whole grains and legumes, results in a lower risk of many types of cancers and chronic diseases, while promoting healthy aging and higher energy levels. This is, in part, due to the fact that organic growing methods eliminate the chemical fertilizers and toxins that are behind so many health issues.
To receive USDA organic certification, a growing operation must demonstrate that they are protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity, not genetically modifying and using only approved substances. This must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can be labeled with the “USDA Organic” seal.
For consumers, the “USDA Organic” seal verifies that:
- Organic crop growers did not use irradiation, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, prohibited pesticides or genetically modified organisms.
- Organic livestock producers met animal health and welfare standards, did not use antibiotics or growth hormones, used 100% organic feed and provided animals with access to the outdoors.
- Organic multi-ingredient foods have 95 percent or more certified organic content.
These standards—alone—create the case for buying organic. Can you pick anything from the list above you’d want to ingest? GMOs? Fertilizer and pesticide residue? Hormones?
As a matter of fact, if you re-read the list above, you can understand why the “100 percent certified organic” standard might be even more desirable. It meet even more stringent criteria:
- All ingredients must be certified organic.
- Any processing aids must be organic.
- Product labels must state the name of the certifying agent on the information panel.
If you’re not ready to go completely organic, Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ is a fantastic resource to help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticides and are best to buy organic.
If you’re shopping at a local farmers market, you might not need to “live by the label.” Due to the cost and complexity of obtaining USDA organic certification, many small organic farming operations are not certified.
When shopping at one of these markets, ask about growing practices. Pose questions like: Would your growing practices qualify for organic certification? What chemicals are used on the fields? How are pests managed? How do you add nutrients to the soil? Many uncertified farmers apply organic (or even stricter) standards. They have a personal reason for this. Their families live on the farm and they want it to be a healthy environment.
Mindful Eating is a Start
We’re all looking for that silver bullet. Do (blank) and you will be infinitely happier, thinner, healthier, etc. In Ayurveda, health and wellbeing is not just about one thing. It’s about everything. Bringing more consciousness to your daily dietary decisions will help you make important lifestyle changes, too. It all adds up to living a more vibrant life.
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