Note: Short posts like this one offer a big-picture look at nutrition, lifestyle, and sustainability topics. For a deeper dive into this subject, or any other one, reach out about my virtual classes or one-on-one sessions!
(Food) Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
What do you think—does food that looks good taste better? While this may vary dependent on personal preferences and each individual’s relationship with food—it’s biologically true! When we think about food, our body kicks into gear and is anticipating eating. This response is known as the cephalic phase of digestion.
Before the First Bite
The cephalic phase is the body’s initial response to eating. The moment we think about food or eating in general, biological magic begins. The saliva begins to produce in our mouth which sends signals off to the stomach to begin releasing the enzymes and acids it’ll need to process the food.
Scientifically, the word cephalic simply means “of, in, or relating to the head,” and phase is defined as a distinct period in a process. But it would be more fun to feel what the cephalic phase means, am I right? So, let’s try a little practice:
Close your eyes and think of your very favorite food. Imagine making it or having it prepared for you by a loved one or your favorite restaurant. Let your mind fully experience the vision of the food, the smell, the feel, that first bite!
Now, open your eyes and check in with your body. Is your mouth watering? Do you feel a magnetic pull towards obtaining this food? Or maybe a tiny bit of a euphoric lift in mood—not to mention a possible grumble in your tummy. This is the cephalic phase at work!
Feel free to pause reading here to go make that meal happen if needed—but please return to reading because the learning fun has just begun!
The Multi-Sensory Magic of Eating
The mere thought of food isn’t the only trigger for the cephalic phase. Smell, touch, sound and taste all play a crucial role. By mindfully using all our senses from the first thought of food to the end of a meal, we are helping our body in digest food in a way that promotes good health.
I talk a little bit about mindful eating in my Why Eating on the Go is a No-No blog. In summary, how we eat is just as important as what we eat. Using our senses helps the body to relax, efficiently break down food and get nutrients to where they’re needed.
Want to learn more about Mindful Eating? Sign up for my next set of virtual group classes!
Let’s look at the specific role of the senses in digestion, nutrition and our overall health.
1. Sight:
Visually appealing food (unique to each of us) activates the cephalic phase letting the body know it is time to prepare for eating. Our brains are hard-wired to associate fresh, vibrant food with nourishment! Since the beginning of time, humans have used sight to determine if food was nutritious (colorful, rich, robust) or dangerous (molding or decaying).
2. Smell:
Our sense of smell is unique—what smells wonderous to one person can be off-putting to another. Scents help the brain analyze the compounds in food but can also trigger emotional responses and memories. In the cephalic phase, food aromas can stimulate digestion or signal us to avoid a food, whether due to food safety concerns or negative emotional associations.
3. Touch:
How food feels in our hands, or mouth, shapes our association and attraction to foods. Think about the last time you enjoyed the crunch of your favorite snack compared to biting into a stale cracker. Texture also plays a huge role in digestion. The texture of a food affects how we chew it. When food is chewed thoroughly, it supports its digestion in the stomach, and absorption of the nutrients into our body.
4. Sound:
Sizzle, pop, crack, crunch, bubble! Oh my! The sounds of food can ignite our sensory experience creating an enjoyment and anticipation that works beautifully in conjunction with getting our body ready to digest nutrients. Just like how sight, smell, and touch (and of course taste) are personal preferences, the sound of food can add to the pleasurable experience or indicate a ‘hard pass’ on a particular meal if it isn’t music to our ears.
5. Taste:
Our taste preferences guide us on our food journey helping us decide on what nutrients, or harmful chemicals and processed foods, we put into our body. Cravings for specific foods can also indicate a particular need for a vitamin, mineral, or macro-nutrient. For example, craving sugar might indicate low blood sugar while craving salty foods could be a sign of dehydration and the need for electrolytes.
Let Food Be a Full-Body Experience
Engaging your senses while eating strengthens your connection to your body’s innate guide to health. Over time and with practice, our bodies can become our best companion on the journey to feeling good. For now, play around with what your body is doing when you think of food and with each smell, touch, sound and taste of your meals.
Stay tuned for the next step in this process when we explore how we feel before and after we eat as a signal to what our body needs.
Optional call to action: Try preparing a visually appealing dish this week and notice how it affects the experience!
I hope you enjoyed exploring this topic! Feel free to leave a comment below with your experience—questions are always welcome too! Reminder to check back weekly for new posts! You can also subscribe for my monthly newsletter featuring the latest articles and recipes.