Food and Mood

We need caffeine to wake us up and chocolate to make waking up worthwhile!
The story of Kaldi, the 9th-century Ethiopian goatherd who discovered coffee, did not appear in writing until 1671. (It is quite likely that parts of the coffee plant were being eaten by humans much before this). Legend has it that he noticed his goats excitedly prancing around happily after eating the beans from the coffee plant. The rest of the story all the way to Starbucks is history!

There is a tremendous sensory aspect to eating.

This is especially clear with chocolate. Chocolate comprises a number of raw and processed foods produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. The rich dark color works on the sense of sight. Its smooth texture stimulates the sense of touch. Once it melts in the mouth, its rich aroma fills up the olfactory sense of smell. Then it starts to work on the taste buds.
Chocolate has 3 most important chemical components: Phenylethylamine, Anandamide and Methylxanthine. Our body produces Phenylethylamine when we feel romantic love. This "love chemical" works on the brain to produce similar pleasurable sensations. Theobromine, the primary alkaloid in cocoa solids and chocolate is partly responsible for chocolate's mood-elevating effect.

What if we could eat all our food mindfully while indulging all the senses. Would it make the sacred act of nourishing the body more satisfying and sensual if we took in our food with our whole being tuning into every sensation from it? Next time you sit down to eat, see if you can shut off all the other inputs and just imbibe nourishment while being fully in the present. This means no TV, no email, no reading, and ideally, eating in silence.

The results are surprising. The same food becomes more enjoyable and satisfying. A smaller quantity of food can be more satisfying when eaten mindfully!