We say we want to eat more healthy, yet we often don’t.  One of the reasons is that eating sweets or snacks seems more fun.  So many social events center around food.  It seems that the more fun the event, the less nutritious the food.  Our subconscious minds then associate fun with foods like nachos, chicken wings, candy or cake.  We even have an entire day devoted to the art of snack food.  They don’t call it the “Super Bowl” for nothing!

We are often so busy that food becomes an afterthought.  We grab whatever we can find that is quick and easy.  I’ve found that sometimes I don’t recall what I had for lunch or how it tasted because I wasn’t paying attention as I ate.  My mind was elsewhere.

So how do we eat more healthy?  What if we changed the paradigm?  What if we took pleasure in eating food in its natural state?  I rediscovered this love last week when I cut and ate a pomegranate.

photo credit: Kathleen Thompson

Using my pomegranate as an example, here’s how to love food that comes straight from Mother Nature.  

Five Secrets to Enjoying Nature’s Bounty

1.  Examine the Fruit

See the brilliant red color, the little blossom at the top, the smooth texture, striations in the skin.  Pick it up and notice its weight, how it feels in your hand.  See if you can detect the scent while it is still unpeeled.  You may catch a whiff of the sweetness therein.

 2.  Enjoy the Ritual of Cutting It Open

Make this a production.  The fruit is a treasure you hold in your hand – a ruby-colored jewel hand-made by nature especially for you.  Using a sharp knife, cut from the top down to the stem, making quarters.  Twist the fruit so that it splits into four different sections, and separates from the stem.  Place all but one section on a plate or board.

 3.  Release the Fruit

Hold one quarter in your hand.  See the beautiful translucent red color of the fruit, and the contrast between the luscious fruit and the membrane holding it together.  Appreciate the function that membrane performs.  (A good reminder to appreciate all those people who perform functions that are less flashy and still important.)  Hold the section over a bowl or plate, and flip inside out.  This will release much of the fruit into the dish.  Scoop out remaining fruit using a small spoon or your fingers.

 4.  Savor the Flavor

Start by eating just a few seeds.  Pick them up with your hand so you get only the fruit in your mouth.  Taste it – really taste it as the fruit reaches your taste buds.  Notice the burst of juice as you bite into it – the sweetness and the tang.  Feel the crunch of the tiny seeds contained within the juice sac.  Continue eating at your own pace, enjoying each mouthful.  Keep your attention on the fruit and the joy of eating it.

 5.  Share the Fun

Sharing this experience is even more fun.  As you each release the fruit from your section, you can see how many seeds stray from the dish, comment on your reaction to the taste, feed each other.  Eating a pomegranate can be an event, where laughter rings out and a memory is made.  Sharing the fruit reminds you that simple pleasures are often the best.

As you prepare and eat real food, you will find that you get more and more enjoyment from eating of nature’s abundance.  Crunchy carrots, the comfort of beans, tangy peppers, and the way the ends of the broccoli florets tickle your tongue.  Food is an adventure waiting to be discovered.  When you really taste your food, you may not enjoy the old foods as much as you thought you did.  You’ll eat more healthy; not because someone told you to, but because you enjoy it.

Question:  Have you ever experienced food in this way?  What food would you like to experiment with?  Click here to add a comment.