The Power of Mindful Eating: Finding Peace and Balance with Food

As dietitians, one of the most rewarding aspects of our work is helping people develop healthier relationships with food. Many individuals struggle with emotional eating, mindless snacking, or simply overeating due to distractions or not knowing their own fullness cues. One powerful tool to combat these hurdles is mindful eating—a practice rooted in mindfulness that has gained popularity due to its profound benefits on both physical and mental health.

What is Mindful Eating?

At its core, mindful eating involves bringing awareness and attention to the eating experience. It’s about being present in the moment while eating, rather than eating mindlessly or out of habit. Instead of rushing through meals or eating distractedly in front of the TV or computer, mindful eating encourages us to pay attention to the food we’re eating and our own bodies before, during, and after we eat.

When mindfulness is applied to eating, it involves:

• Slowing down: Taking time to enjoy food and paying attention to how it makes you feel both physically and mentally.
• Tuning in: To our emotions, are we eating for a reason other than hunger?  Is that okay, or would you like to do something other than eat?
• Engaging all the senses: Noticing the colors, smells, textures, and flavors of your meal.
• Listening to hunger and fullness cues: Being attuned to when you’re hungry and when you’ve had enough.
• Eating without distraction: Turning off the TV, putting away the phone, and truly focusing on the meal at hand.

The Benefits of Mindful Eating

Mindful eating offers numerous advantages, ranging from weight management to improved digestion. Let’s dive into some of the key benefits supported by research.

1. Improved Digestion

When we eat mindfully, we tend to chew our food more thoroughly and at a slower pace. This allows our digestive system to work more effectively and reduces the likelihood of bloating or indigestion. Mindful eating is associated with improved digestion, as it helps individuals become more aware of their body’s cues for hunger and fullness, reducing overeating and stress on the digestive system.

2. Better Portion Control

Mindful eating can help people develop a healthier sense of portion control. Often, we eat because food is available, not necessarily because we are hungry. Or we eat until our plate is empty, not stopping to consider if our body is telling us we’re full.  Mindful eating helps us reconnect with the body’s natural hunger and fullness signals, making it easier to stop eating when we’ve had enough. Research has shown that individuals who practice mindful eating tend to consume fewer calories, which can contribute to weight management. For example, a study published in Obesity (2014) found that participants who engaged in mindfulness-based interventions saw reduced food intake..

3. Reduced Emotional Eating

For many, eating is not just about physical hunger but more so emotions. Stress, anxiety, boredom, or sadness often trigger overeating or cravings for comfort foods. Mindful eating promotes awareness of emotions without judgment, helping individuals recognize emotional eating triggers and adopt healthier coping strategies. According to a 2017 review in the  Nutrition Research Reviews, mindfulness-based interventions were effective in improving participants’ self-control and reduced depressive symptoms.

4. Increased Enjoyment of Food

One of the most enjoyable aspects of mindful eating is the ability to savor food. By slowing down and focusing on the sensory experience of eating, you can enhance the pleasure you derive from meals. This shift in focus can help reduce overeating, as you are more attuned to the experience of eating and less likely to overeat out of mindlessness. Other times, if a meal isn’t satisfying, you may find yourself searching for something else.  Tuning in during the meal can help you identify how to improve the meal in real time.  Studies show that when people eat mindfully, they report higher satisfaction from their meals and feel more content with less food. 

5. Support for Long-Term Health

Mindful eating is not a quick-fix approach, but rather a sustainable practice that promotes long-term health. By focusing on the experience of eating, individuals are more likely to make intentional food choices that nourish the body. Over time, this can lead to healthier habits, improved body weight, and enhanced emotional well-being. In fact, a study published in Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2024) highlighted mindful eating and its factors are associated with a higher diet quality among US adults.

So Now What?

Mindful eating is more than just a practice; it’s a way to foster a deeper connection with food and your body. By incorporating mindfulness into your eating habits, you can experience better digestion, more balanced portions, and reduced emotional eating. This, in turn, can support your long-term health goals, whether it’s weight management, improved mental health, or simply cultivating a more enjoyable relationship with food.

If you’d like to learn more about mindful eating, we created a self guided course with a video, 10 page handout, and a guided mindful eating experience.  We highly recommend you check it out if you want to know more about practicing mindful eating.  Click Here.

Remember, mindful eating is a journey, not a destination. Start small, be patient with yourself, and enjoy the process of becoming more attuned to your body’s needs.

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy

This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.  For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.  Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.  

Resources:

• O’Reilly GA, Cook L, Spruijt-Metz D, Black DS. Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating behaviours: a literature review. Obes Rev. 2014 Jun;15(6):453-61. doi: 10.1111/obr.12156. Epub 2014 Mar 18. PMID: 24636206; PMCID: PMC4046117.
• Kristeller, J. L., & Wolever, R. Q. (2011). Mindfulness-based eating awareness training for treating binge eating disorder: The concept and a pilot study. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 25(4), 290-303.
• Warren JM, Smith N, Ashwell M. A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviours: effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms. Nutrition Research Reviews. 2017;30(2):272-283. doi:10.1017/S0954422417000154
• Nour M. Hammad, Melissa J. Slotnick, Teresa T. Fung, Diane Gilbert-Diamond, Lilian W.Y. Cheung, Cindy W. Leung, Mindful Eating and Diet Quality Among US Adults With Lower Incomes, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,2024,