•Eating food with your hands is a traditional practice in many cultures, especially in India. It is said that eating with your hands connects food to the soul.
• The New York Times quotes a cookbook writer and cooking teacher Mrs Sahini saying-
“Eating with hands evokes great emotions. It kindles something very warm, gentle, and caressing. Using a fork is unthinkable in traditional Indian eating. It is almost like a weapon”.
•Eating food with your hands not only feeds the body but also the mind and the spirit. Health benefits of eating food with your own hands:-
1. Promotes mindful eating- you become more aware of its temperature, texture, and portion size.
2. Aids digestion by preparing the stomach to release digestive enzymes.
3. Activates nerve endings that boost brain activity.
4. Builds natural immunity and strengthens your gut.
5. Cultural and spiritual value- In Ayurveda. It’s said that all five fingers represent the five elements (earth, fire, water, air, space), creating balance when eating.
In many cultures, eating with hands is a natural and intimate experience, but in public places, it can sometimes make people feel self-conscious due to social norms that prioritize utensils. The sense of shame often arises from the fear of judgment or the pressure to conform to expectations of cleanliness and sophistication. However, in some communities, eating with hands is a sign of respect and connection to the food, and such feelings of embarrassment can vary greatly depending on cultural context and personal beliefs.
I have been used to eating with my hands since I was a child, and I do not feel any shame in doing so, nor do I intend to alter this habit to conform to certain expectations.
I have recently learned to eat properly with hands, and let me tell you, after years of eating with fork and spoon, I get to taste food better with hands. Enjoying texture, mixing everything together properly and then eating it, makes every meal more enjoyable
Yes you are right eating with hands is always good and has many advantages. I don’t use any spoon or fork while eating in home and as well as in public places.
It’s not “uncivilized”,it’s our cultural, practical, and deeply sensory. In India (and many other countries), eating with hands is part of tradition, hygiene (your own hands are often cleaner than cutlery in public places), and even science touch stimulates digestion and connects you with your food.
So next time someone stares just smile, and remember, you’re carrying centuries of tradition in that handful of food.
Nope. I would love to eat food with my clean hands. Because I’m comfortable and the food tastes can be felt more and its the best way one could enjoy there meal
Eating with hands truly turns a meal into a soulful experience. It’s amazing how something so simple carries deep cultural, spiritual, and even biological significance.
Honestly, not at all! I feel more connected to my food when I eat with my hands. It’s a part of our culture, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I believe it makes the meal feel more personal and satisfying.
No, I never feel uncomfortable eating with my hands as I feel by eating through hands I get the satisfaction feeling more. When we eat food through hands, it’s the tactile interaction with food that activates sensory nerves which in turn signal our brain to prepare the digestive system more efficaciously. This simple process enhances our salivation and the release of related enzymes, before we even take our good. I have also observed that, when I eat through hands I can easily regulate my portion size by having an exact awareness and this prevents overeating, whereas when I am eating through spoons at certain places, I find it very difficult to estimate how much I ate already. So I feel, that’s also something which is connected with eating through hands. Besides, when we eat through our hands, we eat slowly and thoughtfully and it results in a better satiety feeling and improved gut function.
