The Right Quantity of Food to Eat, as per Ayurveda!

We have established that it is important to eat right as well as on time, and also the kind of food that one should eat. But what about the quantity of food? Let’s deal with that in detail here.

All of us have different preferences when it comes to food, and likewise, we also have different digestive strengths. While someone who may appear thinner may eat more, someone else who appears to have a big stomach, might actually be able to eat much lesser.

How much we eat or should eat is dependent on our individual digestive strength. If we have a good metabolism, then we may be able to get away with eating a huge meal. But if the metabolism is bad or the digestive fire is weak, then we may not be able to digest so much food together.

• As per Ayurveda, we should ideally eat to fill half our stomachs.
• Another one-fourth of the capacity should be kept for water, and the last quarter should be kept empty for the movement of the food. For example, if the total capacity of the stomach is 8, then we should fill up till level 4 with food and then till level 6 with water. The other two levels should be left empty. But what we do is fill it up till 10, when we cannot even have a bite more!

A lot is said about breakfast being the most important and the heaviest meal of the day. But as per Ayurveda, lunch should be the biggest meal of the day. This is because lunch coincides with the period when the Pitta is strongest in the body, which means that the digestive fire or the Agni will be the strongest at that time. It will be able to digest a larger quantity of food as compared to breakfast or dinner. Dinner or supper should be the lightest meal of the day as the body gets closer to the rest mode with the digestive power becoming weaker. Respecting this will mean that you get better sleep as well. It will also become easier to empty the bowels in the morning.

People who have a weaker digestive system are those who feel heavy and lethargic after a meal. They are also more prone to gastric trouble and problems like constipation. These people should stick to smaller meals and prefer foods that are easy to digest.

We all know the importance of eating fresh and raw fruits and vegetables. But what we don’t realize is that too much of that is also bad for us. Raw food takes a lot of time to break down inside the body, and it is quite a task for our system to digest it. So people who have a weak metabolism shouldn’t consume too many raw foods, and we certainly should not binge on them right before bedtime.

Comfort food is another aspect we’d like to touch here. A lot of us eat, or rather overeat to make ourselves feel better or satiate our taste buds. When we are stressed or anxious, we tend to eat more. But what that ends up doing is making us feel better momentarily and piling on our belly as fat.

So it is very important to separate food from our heart. To give into a craving once in a while is alright, but that’s what it should be - a treat and not an everyday routine. If we eat only as much as our body needs, then food gets converted into energy, and not fat.

When it comes to how much to eat, sticking to the moderate ways is the right option. The simple Ayurvedic rule is - eat when you’re hungry, and stop when you feel satisfied.