1. Vitamin P: Why is enjoying food considered a form of nutrition?
Humans are naturally inclined to seek pleasure from food. This isn’t just about taste buds; it’s a design of the brain.
When we enjoy food, we release dopamine, a chemical associated with reward, motivation, focus, and pleasure, activating the brain’s reward pathway.
Interestingly, when people feel relaxed and happy while eating, their bodies are more likely to enter a “rest and digestion” mode. Digestive enzyme secretion, intestinal peristalsis, and nutrient absorption all proceed more smoothly.
In other words, the same food is perceived differently depending on whether one is in a tense, guilty, or happy and satisfied state.
2. From Brain to Gut: What Happens in the Body When Enjoying Food?
1. Dopamine, Reward, and Eating Behavior
Pleasure triggers the release of dopamine, leading to feelings of calm, focus, and satisfaction, and also enhancing memory of the present experience. Studies have shown that some obese individuals may experience altered dopamine system responses, leading them to seek similar pleasure through overeating. This reminds us that there is a line we need to be aware of between enjoyable eating and “uncontrolled pursuit of pleasure.”
When the reward system functions in balance, moderately enjoying food itself helps establish a stable and satisfying eating relationship, without needing to fill the psychological void through repeated binge eating or extreme dieting.
2. “Good Digestion” in a Relaxed State
During enjoyable eating, the parasympathetic nervous system (often referred to as the “rest and digestive system”) is more active, and the body is more willing to use resources for digestion, absorption, and repair.
Conversely, if you eat while worrying about calories and blaming yourself, the body tends to remain in a state of alertness or semi-tension, which can affect digestive efficiency and the metabolic environment.
Multiple studies have also shown a positive correlation between “enjoying eating” and better food quality and nutritional status: when people derive satisfaction from healthy food itself, they are less likely to overeat later to “compensate.”
3. Food Offers More Than Just Calories
1. Social Connection and Belonging: Connections at the Dining Table
Eating together is one of the oldest and gentlest forms of interpersonal connection.
Research shows that sharing meals with others, enjoying food, and experiencing companionship are key factors in enhancing subjective well-being and reducing loneliness and stress.
The snacks on the table at gatherings, the “must-have” dishes at family holidays, often carry not just nutritional labels, but the signal that “someone is waiting for you to come home and eat together.”
2. Comfort and Support: That Bowl of Food That “Understands You”
The hot soup served when you’re sick, the familiar homemade noodles after working overtime, the dessert eaten when you miss someoneโthese foods often provide emotional comfort and a feeling of being cared for.
Many people consider using food to comfort themselves after stress as a bad habit of “emotional eating,” but when there is awareness and connection involved, it can also be a gentle form of self-care.
3. Identity and Culture: “Who Am I?” in the Flavors
Hometown dishes, festive cuisine, and specific foods from religious or cultural traditions constitute a person’s concrete memories of “where they come from.”
When food culture is labeled “unhealthy” or “should be given up,” it’s often not just the food that’s being rejected, but also the connection to family, community, and childhood memories.
Allowing oneself to retain these cultural foods within a healthy framework is not just a nutritional choice, but also a psychological and identity repair process.
4. “Eating for Pleasure” vs. “Emotional Eating”: What’s the Difference?
Many people immediately associate “eating for pleasure” with “uncontrolled binge eating.” The key to distinguishing between the two lies in intention and state.
- Eating for Pleasure: Clearly choosing a food to savor its aroma, texture, and overall experience, such as eating an ice cream in summer or taking a bite of a freshly picked apple in autumn.
- Emotional eating: The main purpose is to numb or escape emotions, often involving rapid eating with little to no taste, or even forgetting what was eaten.
Another practical indicator: how you feel after eating.
Eating for pleasure usually brings satisfaction, warmth, and a feeling of “being good to yourself in this moment”; emotionally driven, uncontrolled eating is often accompanied by guilt, self-blame, and increased physical and mental exhaustion.
Of course, in reality, the two are not always clearly separated; sometimes the same food brings both comfort and enjoyment. The important thing is to maintain a little clarity and kindness during the process, rather than punishing yourself with harsher standards afterward.
5. Putting “Pleasure” and “Nutrition” on the Same Table
1. Breaking the Myth of “Delicious = Unhealthy”
Many people habitually divide food into “clean and edible” and “sinful and must be resisted.” Over time, healthy eating has become synonymous with boredom and depression.
In fact, many nutrient-rich foodsโsuch as fresh fruit, flavorful whole-grain dishes, and well-seasoned vegetables and legumesโcan be delicious on their own.
When you allow yourself to find the intersection of “nutritious and delicious,” rather than choosing between “health” and “enjoyment,” the quality and satisfaction of your meals often improve together.
2. Enhance the Quality of Your Meals Through Pleasure
A review of research shows that focusing on “how to make healthy eating more enjoyable,” rather than simply restricting what you don’t eat, often fosters long-term, stable good habits.
Specifically, you can do the following:
- Add a little bit of cheese, nuts, or seasonings that you truly enjoy to your salad, instead of forcing yourself to eat bland greens.
- Cook whole-grain staples to make them more flavorful and textured, instead of just treating them as a burden.
- Try asking yourself, “Is it possible to make this meal taste better without going against my body’s needs?”
These small adjustments are enough to turn “should eat” into “want to eat,” and make you less likely to “compensate” later with overeating or snacking.
6. Practicing Vitamin P in Daily Life
You can start with very small things, adding a little bit of enjoyment to each mealโno drastic changes are needed.
- Add a little milk or plant-based milk to your oatmeal for a smoother texture.
- Add an extra spice or a touch of cheese to your favorite vegetables for a more layered flavor.
- Serve microwaved food on a proper plate and sit down to eat, instead of rushing through it at the counter.
After your meal, ask yourself two questions:
- How much enjoyment did this meal bring?
- Which small change could make you 10% more satisfied next time?
These gentle self-questioning questions will gradually pull you out of the fatigue of “calorie counting” and lead you to a way of eating that respects both your body and your moodโmaking health no longer just a string of numbers, but a daily process of eating well with yourself.
