At this time of year when it’s snowing and cold i.e. the season of Kapha according to Ayurveda, raclette is a popular meal here in Switzerland. Even though it is a simple dish of cheese with potatoes and usually a side salad, people like it because you do most of the cooking at the table so it is a very sociable and easy meal.
I recently received an invitation for a raclette lunch. The host told me she planned to offer fruit after the meal as something light after the heaviness of all the cheese. She asked for my professional thoughts.
In Ayurvedic nutrition – based on a system over 5000 years old – it is considered better to eat fruit alone or leave it alone. There are scientific reasons for this.
Fruit digests much more quickly than other food and should be free to leave the stomach quickly. If you mix it with other foods it tends to ferment because digestion is delayed. So it’s better to eat fruit away from food.
So what can you do to end of a heavy meal on a light and healthy note so that digestion continues at a reasonable pace? Here are my tips and suggestions.
- Leave the table slightly hungry. Aim to have a small portion of your stomach empty when you eat. Remember the analogy of the washing machine (see Key 1 of 5 nutritional Keys to vitality in your life). Ideally you leave the table feeling satisfied but aware you could eat more. In this way, even if the individual items of food are heavy, your system should have the capacity to digest them.
- Share – order one dessert, ask for two (or more) plates and spoons and share it. This works well in a restaurant.
- Sip a freshly-made lassi – enjoy a glass of this yogurt-based drink in its savoury form at the end of a meal to enhance digestion (perhaps not after a raclette though!).
- Spices aid digestion and ginger is one of the best (and one of my favourites). Enjoy one or two pieces of crystallised ginger at the end of a meal to round it off on a sweet note. Carry with you a handful in a small container so you’re prepared.
- Contemplate before consuming. Savour your sweet – whether it’s a piece of crystallised ginger, a halva sweet or even a piece of chocolate, enjoy it to the full by holding it in your hand for a few moments and smelling it before putting it in your mouth. Once it’s inside, hold it on your tongue for a few moments before chewing it. Contemplating what you plan to consume helps you to satisfy your senses.
What next? Think about what you usually have at the end of the meal. How might it be affecting your digestion? What can you do to leave the table feeling satisfied and comfortable? Start making adjustments if needed. Further questions? Feel free to contact me .
