Food is such a common part of our life that we hardly pay much attention to it, yet more or less everyone seem to be obsessed with taste and presentation of cuisine. It is something which is not in our mind yet doesn’t go out of our attention. Food is such an important aspect of our lives, we cannot disassociate from it. If we ever think about food – is it a necessity, entertainment, a social custom or all of them? When a child is born, family distributes sweets and organises customary meals. As the child grows, there are many celebratory ocassions when feast is served. If we are happy, we go to a restaurant to celebrate; if sad, we munch on junk to divert disturbing thoughts.
Friends are made over a meal, and they meet to break the bread together. Lack of food has become cause of death for millions and excess of food has also been a leading cause of death. Food could be a reason for unity or war or animosity. In big events, lot of attention is given to cuisine, manytimes they succeed or fail on account of the quality of cookery served.
How we think depends on what kind of food we eat, and also vice versa. Vegetarianism and veganism have developed based on ideology of not harming animals. Many religions do instruct its followers what to eat and in what manner, based on certain belief system. Medical science also takes into account the effects of various nutrients on health of a person. But those who are concerned only with fun and party, involving various cuisines, might not look into aspects other than taste and presentation of the edibles.
What we eat is important for our overall growth and development. When does a person eat and how does s/he gulp down meal tells a lot about his/her personality. Consuming frequently without caring for need of the the body leads to an unhealthy condition and poor digestion. On the other hand, those who do not take enough intake suffer from malnutrition.
A person who is very systematic and organised in nature would prefer a well served plate of meal rather than eating at a fast food stall. One who is in hurry and believes in saving time might not go for fine dining. Japanese culture advises to chew food 30 times before swallowing but many people don’t seem to have time, patience and habit for that. Swallowing down grub in big loaves devoid us of nutritive benefits – we are told by doctors since the childhood, but a habit is habit.
In a way, it becomes interesting to sometimes pick our brain over subjects which are in sight yet out of mind and certainly the food is one of them.