Dialog Box

Nutrition Consultants Australia

Why we should eat with our fingers

  • tradition – we ate with fingers before forks were invented,
  • increases awareness of the food being eaten – cutlery permits distraction,
  • increases engagement with the food including how you will gather it, how much you need for one mouthful, how to hold the food so it does not spill/fall out,
  • improves digestion – feeling the food with fingers sends a signal to the digestive system that you are about to eat and so digestive juices and enzymes are released in anticipation,
  • feeling the food with fingers signals the spiciness of the food,
  • feeling the food with fingers signals the temperature of the food and therefore safety as you can’t burn your mouth if the food is too hot to touch,
  • slows the rate and amount of food being consumed as it takes time to prepare each mouthful,
  • engages all senses – we already eat with our other 4 senses (sight, smell, sound, taste), fingers add the 5th sense – touch/tactility,
  • increases dexterity – having to break bread with one hand increases muscle strength in that hand,
  • reduces waste – it is easier to pick up the last morsels on the plate, and to access all the meat on bones,
  • generates an intimacy when people eat from the same dish,
  • it’s fun – eating with fingers is more informal and fun.

 

 

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