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7. Are You Taking Your Vitamin P — The Missing Ingredient In Your Well-Being Routine?

How often do you find yourself going on a manhunt for your favourite food as soon as you start feeling the blues? Whether it’s a chocolate bar or another treat, indulging in your 'comfort food' might seem like the perfect remedy for a gloomy mood. But have you ever wondered why this happens?

Well, it’s quite easy to see why: humans are wired to derive pleasure from food. In fact, for many, eating ranks among life’s greatest joys! Beyond making mealtimes enjoyable, taking pleasure in food also offers significant health benefits. Intake of Vitamin P (pleasure) and savouring your meals supports digestion, improves your relationship with food, helps overcome eating disorders, and more. While I’m not suggesting you dive into unhealthy eating to feel good, enjoying food can be beneficial for your health—if you make the right choices!

In the course of speaking to experts, I learnt how deeply what we eat and how we eat impact our mental health and cognitive abilities. Dr. Siddhant Bhargava, Fitness and Nutritional Scientist and Co-Founder - Food Darzee, explains, “Eating for enjoyment helps in maintaining a well-balanced diet as well as promoting healthy eating habits by creating a positive attitude towards food.” An emphasis on sensory aspects, such as taste, texture, and smell, can promote mindful consumption and satisfaction. Hence, people tend to select more nutritious foods that they like, thereby encouraging healthier choices, he further adds.

Image caption- Dr. Siddhant Bhargava

The Psychology Behind Eating for Pleasure

Food provides both emotional and physical nourishment. Research suggests that the pleasure we derive from food occurs in both our mouths and our brains. Any kind of pleasure, including that from food, releases dopamine—the 'feel good' hormone—in the brain, which boosts happiness, motivation, and focus. Additionally, enjoying our meals triggers the secretion of hormones, neurotransmitters, and enzymes that optimise digestion and nutrient absorption.

“I enjoy eating healthy and maintaining a balanced diet, so I take time each day to make my meals pleasurable,” explains Shonali Sabherwal, a macrobiotic nutritionist, chef, author, and gut health expert. “I plan my meals to be both exciting and enjoyable, which keeps me stimulated. This approach allows me to relax into my meal, giving dopamine—the neurotransmitter that activates our reward pathways—a chance to work its magic. When I eat in a way that satisfies my senses, dopamine promotes a sense of calmness and happiness," Shonali adds.

Image caption- Shonali Sabherwal

Don’t Confuse it with Stress Eating

While it is advisable to enjoy and savour the food that you eat, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean you should overindulge in unhealthy quantities. Turning to food to deal with difficult emotions like stress, anger, or sadness often results in mindless consumption.

“When it comes to emotional or stress eating, people often eat more than they need because they do not like the food or find any pleasure in it,” explains Dr. Siddhant. Pay attention to your internal hunger cues and satiety signals if you want to differentiate healthy pleasure eating from emotional or stress eating. “Eat foods that taste good to you, stop when you feel full, and leave the table feeling satisfied and energised after enjoying a meal," he further suggests.

To further differentiate, you also need to understand that emotional eating and eating for pleasure differ in both their intent and their outcomes. Explaining the difference between the two types of eating, Shonali suggests that “emotional eating is when you reach out to food during a period of stress and look for sugary foods or bad carbohydrates. If you are aware enough, you will know that this is not a normal response to food or a healthy relationship with food.”

The first thing to do would be to check your own body's sensations. Usually, you want something pleasurable but you also want instant gratification; this is a good indicator of emotional or stress-eating. “When you eat for pleasure, there is no stress in the body or mind while planning or wanting a meal, so you will know that this response to food is not coming out of stress or misplaced emotions,” she explains.

How to Manage Pleasure and Healthy Eating

To include more pleasure in your eating habits without compromising nutritional targets, you should start by concentrating on sensory experiences involving taste, feel, and aroma. “Try to experiment with different cuisines, cook new dishes with someone or even share a meal with friends and family," Dr. Siddhant suggests. It is important to develop an appreciation for the taste of food while not overindulging in it and practising mindful eating where every bite counts.

If you’re unsure how to combine pleasure eating with healthy eating, Shonali Sabherwal suggests starting by checking in with your mind and body. While planning a meal, you should ensure it is balanced, packed with necessary nutrients, and also includes ingredients that you like. For example, she says, “I planned tempeh tacos as a pleasurable meal for me. They include red cabbage tossed in dressing and tempeh cooked in a homemade tomato sauce, all wrapped in an amaranth flour taco (roti/flatbread), topped with shredded vegan cheese and guacamole. This meal is both pleasurable and balanced," she explains.

Image Credits: Shonali Sabherwal

Amaranth, a pseudo-grain high in protein, pairs well with the good fats from avocado. Purple cabbage adds antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, and belongs to the Brassica family, which helps clear unwanted oestrogen in women. Tempeh, being fermented and high in protein, is great for women, and she even adds almonds for extra protein. The entire meal is high in fibre, packed with nutrients, and very satisfying.