Every culture has different eating habits. For example, some use a spoon and chopsticks, but some use their hands directly.
Did you know the habit of eating directly with your hands has various health benefits? Eating with clean hands feeds the body, soul, and mind.
In Indonesia, eating directly with hands has become part of the tradition of the people. Eating with your hands is healthier than using a spoon. People in several countries also have the same eating traditions.
Although not all types of food can be eaten by hand, not all eating moments are suitable for eating using hands, for example, at formal banquets.
Eating directly by hand turns out to give a delicious sensation and has health benefits. Such as blood circulation to maintain digestive health.
Here are some of the benefits that can be obtained by eating directly with your hands:
Improve digestion
From ParentingFirstcy, when your fingers touch food, the nerve endings of the fingers will automatically signal to the brain that you are going to eat. This message is then forwarded to the stomach to prepare for digestion immediately. The digestive organs then respond by releasing enzymes and digestive juices. That way, when food enters the mouth, the body is ready to digest food, and the process can run more smoothly.
Streamlining blood circulation
It may look simple, but eating directly with your hands can help improve blood circulation. Stirring food or chopping food consistently with your hands can make the joints in your fingers and hands move constantly.
Also Read: 11 Best Foods to Fight Depression
This movement triggers the smooth circulation of blood circulation. When you touch food with your hands, the millions of nerves in your fingertips send messages to your brain that you are going to eat. This message is then relayed to the stomach, which begins to release digestive juices and enzymes needed for digestion.
Increase the number of good bacteria
Many people think that eating directly with their hands is dirty. However, many good bacteria live on the skin of the hands. This natural flora can protect the body against attacks by harmful bacteria and other germs. That way, eating with clean hands can help increase good bacteria and help improve the natural immunity of the body's digestive system.
Preventing the tongue from overheating.
Hands can function as a detector of the temperature of the food that will enter the mouth. When eating with a spoon or other cutlery, sometimes people don't realize how hot the food is. That way, many cases of tongue overheating when eating certain foods. Especially freshly cooked or reheated. However, when you eat with your hands, the nerves in your fingertips will tell your brain when the food is still too hot so that you can prevent overheating of the tongue.
Train the muscles around the hands.
Another reason for eating with healthy hands is that it can be a place for muscle training, especially for children who are learning to eat. This hand muscle exercise is not only good for motor skills but can also help improve blood flow.
Also Read: The World's Most Delicious Food, You Should Try !
Increase focus when eating.
So far, many people who eat are not focused. Well, eating with your hands can help restore that focus. When the fingers come to take food, the focus of the mind will shift to the food on the plate. Not only are eyes focused on food, but attention to the taste and aroma of food has also increased. So, you can be more present and appreciate the eating session without the focus being scattered all over the place.
Maintain weight
With a better focus when eating, people who eat directly by hand usually also tend to eat slowly and not excessively while enjoying the intake that goes into the mouth. As a result, you can avoid the habit of overeating. Unfortunately, these things usually happen to people who don't focus on food while eating. Launching NDTV, research published in the journal Appetite also says that eating with your hands can help increase satiety compared to eating with a spoon or other utensils. Both of these benefits can help people who are maintaining weight.
Has the potential to prevent type 2 diabetes
According to a study published in Clinical Nutrition, type 2 diabetics who eat using cutlery tend to rush when finishing food. In addition, fast eating using spoons and other utensils can cause blood sugar to spike easily.
Also Read: Benefits of Sitting on the Floor when Eating like Indonesians and Japanese
Given the benefits of eating with hands that can make people eat slowly, this habit can potentially prevent type 2 diabetes. Trim your nails regularly. And make sure you wash your hands with soap and running water before eating. In addition, run a nutritionally complete and balanced diet at all times so that the benefits of eating with hands for health are optimal.