This may sound familiar to some of you. Remember when your mother or father would tell you to stop playing with your food and use a fork and knife? Well, perhaps you still shouldn’t play with your food, but in India you should definitely set aside that cutlery and use your hands when eating a delicious Indian meal.
In India, as well as other parts of the world,eating with your hands is part of the culture.After all, what could be more natural, more primal?Thoughmany mayview this custom as uncivilized, the practice is not as easy as it may look. There is in fact a skill to it and manners to follow. There are also several health benefits fromeating with your handssuch asimproves digestion and prevention of diabetes. There’s also an even deep significance as to why eating with your hands is so important according to Indian culture.
When did eating with yourshands become a thing in India?
The practice of eating with the hands originated within Ayurvedic teachings. The Vedic peoplebelieved that our bodies are in sync with the elements of nature and our hands hold a certain power. Ayurvedic texts teach that each finger is an extension of one of the five elements:
- Through the thumb comes space
- Through the forefinger comes air
- Through the mid-finger comes fire
- Through the ring finger comes water
- Through the pinky finger comesearth
When you eat with your hands, you are supposed to do so by joining all fingers together. This is believed to improve our consciousness of the taste of the food we eat. Not only are you feeding your body but also your mind and spirit. When you touch your food with your hands, you’re creating a physical and spiritual connection with it. You’re also much more present in the moment. When food is touched with the hands, there’s automatically more careful attention placed on it – what the temperature is, how much you can carry, how the hand must be held in order to keep the food in it.
Eating with your hands is respectful!
When you are invited into the home of an Indian family for a meal, it’s a mark of respect towards the host and god to physically touch your food when eating. However, there is a technique to eating this way. In the south of India, it’s considered ill-mannered to let the palm of your hands or outside of your fingers get stained. Proper etiquette is to only use the tips of your fingers to pick up the food. This goes back to our fingertips holding certain energies.
What about soupy food? Do I use my hands for thesetypesof dishes?
In general, silverware is used only in the kitchen for preparing and for serving the food. However, for more liquidly foods such as some dal dishes, a spoon can be used. In the North of India, rice can also be eaten with a spoon but in the South, the practice of eating food (including rice) from a banana leaf is practised.
What about the whole saying “you don’t know where your hands have been?”
Well, I sure hope you do. After all, they are your hands!
You will find that in every Indian restaurant there’s a hand washing station. This is so you can clean your hands before enjoying your meal. As for the skeptics who still believe there’s bacteria on your hands that shouldn’t be consumed….
Our body has acertain kind of bacteria that protects us from other harmful bacteria in the environment. This good bacteria resides in places like our hands, mouth, throat, intestine, gut and the rest of our digestive system. When you eat with your hands, this good bacteria enters your system andprotects you against harmful bacteria. So, as long as you wash the bad bacteria you’ve collected from your day off your hands, you’ll be giving your body a dose of good bacteria that it needs to stay healthy.
Along with the ingesting good bacteria, there are other health benefits to reap fromeating with your hands:
Improves Digestion
When you use your fingers to pick up food, millions of nerve endings in your fingers relay the message that you’r about to eat. Thispreps the stomach for digestion by releasing digestive juices and enzymes.
Promotes Mindful Eating
I’ve read several articles sharing the same message of the importance of eating slow and only when relaxed. Eating when your stressed or too fast can lead to some pretty ugly indigestion problems you don’t want to deal with.A calm, aware state allows optimum digestion. Not only that, but it also prevents you from overeating.
It’s fun
Whether you’re a 5-year old child or a 50-year old business man, there’s no fighting the fact that eating with your hands is fun. Admit it!
Final tip!
For India, as well as other countries that eat with their hands, it’s almost without exception that theright handonlyis used. Why? The left hand is generally considered too unclean to actually eat with since it’s said to be the one usedto wipe upin the washroom.
Have you ever eaten with your hands? Did you enjoy it?
FAQs
This practice is historic and premised on the cultural premise that eating is a sensory activity, and touch is part of the experience along with the taste, aroma of the food, and its presentation such as on a thali, or on a large plate made from washed banana leaf (used in south), or stitched and washed siali (used in ...
Why do Indian people use their hands to eat? ›
It is seen as a way to connect with Indian heritage and customs. Enhanced Sensory Experience: Eating with hands allows for a more sensory experience of food. The sense of touch can enhance the flavors and textures of the food, making the dining experience more enjoyable.
Why do some cultures eat with their hands? ›
Most individuals within Indian culture explain that this is the only way to truly experience a meal. Your hands are responsible for feeling how hot/cold the food is, textures, portion size and feeling connected. It is argued that we lose a great deal of connection with food when a utensil is put into the picture.
What is the significance of eating with hands? ›
“It improves digestion as you are more likely to chew your food properly,” she says. “Hands and eyes can also detect the temperature and texture of the food, helping your body prepare for digestion.” Kothari also feels that eating with hands can help you eat more mindfully and be more present during meals.
What is the etiquette for eating in India? ›
Even though eating with the hands is preferred, traditionally, food should always be eaten with your right hand and never the left. The left hand should only be used to serve food onto your plate or to pass food around the table. It is a sign of disrespect to use your left hand to eat as it is considered to be unclean.
Why do Indians not eat pork? ›
All of India's most widely practiced religions have dietary laws and traditions. For example, Hindu texts often praise vegetarianism, and Hindus may also avoid eating beef because cows are traditionally viewed as sacred. Muslim teachings, meanwhile, prohibit pork.
How healthy is Indian food? ›
Supports digestion: Indian food often includes ingredients like ginger, fennel, and cumin, which have been shown to help support healthy digestion. Promotes heart health: Some Indian dishes, such as those made with lentils and vegetables, are low in saturated fat and high in fiber, which can help promote heart health.
Why do Muslims eat with fingers? ›
The Prophet Mohammed preached eating with hands, and it's been a common practice since. Food is meant to be eaten slowly and consciously, and eating with the hands helps with that. These religions, along with several African countries like Ethiopia, treat mealtime as a communal activity.
Why is eating with left hand disrespectful? ›
In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, it has traditionally been perceived as "rude" behaviour to use the left hand for eating, as the left hand is commonly used for tasks considered "unclean".
Why do Africans eat with their hands? ›
The use of hands allows people to feel the texture of the food, mix different flavors on their plate, and control the portion sizes according to their personal preferences. It also promotes a sense of togetherness, as people often share communal meals by sitting together and using their hands to serve and eat.
When the fork was adopted, it followed this rule; it was held in the left hand while cutting and then transferred to the right to eat. This custom was brought to America by British colonists and became the American style.
What ethnic food do you eat with your hands? ›
Eating with fingers is not exclusive to South Asia. It is common to eat with one's hand in Ethiopian cuisine, Oaxacan cuisine, and many other regions of the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Yet, for years, many in the West viewed it as “uncivilized,” “unhygienic,” and even “cannibal.” Today, some still do.
Which is better eating with hand or spoon? ›
Eating with your hands is a great activity that also improves blood circulation. Using your hands to mix food or create bites of dal and roti causes your joints and fingers to move, which is similar to any hand exercise. Eating with your hands takes longer than eating with a spoon.
Is it rude to not eat with your hands in India? ›
The thing is, eating with your hands is also considered a respectful gesture in India. The other reason eating with your hands is considered a respectful gesture is that in Hinduism, the right hand is considered the clean hand. Because of this, it is not considered polite to eat with your left hand.
Is it rude to not finish food in India? ›
Finishing every last bite
In India, it is considered good manners to finish everything that is on your plate. Leaving anything uneaten is considered impolite. Of course, you needn't taste every single dish that is served, but anything you do transfer to your plate needs to be finished.
Why do Muslims use their hands to eat? ›
For Muslim people, eating with their hands is also a spiritual act. The Prophet Mohammed preached eating with hands, and it's been a common practice since. Food is meant to be eaten slowly and consciously, and eating with the hands helps with that.
Do Americans use their hands to eat? ›
In North America, it is common to eat certain types of foods with one's hands. For example, many people enjoy eating hamburgers and sandwiches by hand. Additionally, chicken wings and other finger foods are also usually consumed with one's fingers in North America.
