When in past i used to think of Taste all the crispy fast food and spicy dishes would jump into my mind . I think our appetite for taste is far stronger than our hunger for food itself .Being from an Asian country i can say that "we love food that shake our head before landing into our stomach " which simply means that we prefer tasty food over healthy ones. I think this wish is linked somehow to bring Fun in our day rather than have light diet .
Despite of all my stomach trouble as child i liked such exciting foods .As teenager i developed little likeness for fruits but i was irritatingly selective . I hated vegetables . When we would see mom and dad to eat vegetables fondly it was puzzle impossible to solve .How can people eat these yakees with such delight. Mom was great cook and i heard this by each person who ate her food. Sometimes she would try to make us eat vegetable with tricks .She would cook them by adding some pieces of chicken so we could find taste good.But fooling us was a tough jab .Inevitably i would try poorly to eat just to make her happy but my younger sister would push away the plate .
Among all vegetables cauliflower was bit bearable to me during my early teens. I loved peas though and potato yes.Most favorite on earth was red lentil . I was madly madly in love with red lentil since then until two years back after surgery when it was forbidden by doctor. I would like to have it in lunch with bread and in dinner with rice. My passion for red lentil was hit by all who knew me closely . Will you believe that Masi bibi jan (the one i mentioned in post former than previous as humorous lady) had made song describe my love for it and she would sing it in gathering to tease me .It was annoying as teenager but now i know it was love :)
Along with this i was excessive eater.I mean i would need to keep my mouth full ,chewing something and sending it to belly .I now can say it was psychological problem.But then it was never ending want for something to eat.I would keep my pockets (winter jacket ,in summers just paper packets) full with peanuts or dried baked chickpeas.
They would keep my mouth circling .My mom would find it annoying and would say "stop moving your mouth like a cow"
I would take small portions of meal between the main meals. During all this unconscious struggle target was only to keep my tongue attached to Taste . I had some weird psychological allergies with red meat .We would get lots mutton and beef on Eid ul Azha . My parents and both sibling big brother and younger sister were fond of meat. But i would find smell coming from meat unbearable. Once when i was almost 12 mom handed me a plate full of cooked meat and asked to give it to my elder brother who was sitting few meters away in yard. I hardly carried it to him and ran to washroom .I vomited badly and then felt better .
I remember i ate first bite of mutton when i was 17 .I did it to prove my cousin and friend Nano wrong. She had bet that i could not eat meat. I was surprised to see that i felt normal later. I never liked milk and i will always remain embarrassed that mom had to scold me to have glass of milk specially when i was sick most of the times.
My only healthy habit i can remember was having tomato during school break. But even this was found weird by friends. Why i would choose tomato instead of chips ,ice cream or other crunchy things would make them wonder. When i say i never did anything with planning in my single day or life ,they would never believe that i was being health conscious . I still wonder why i had tomatoes back then .I would go to straight to cart standing beside the shop where all girls would go to buy fast food or other tasty stuff . I would buy one or two tomatoes and bring them back in school .Wash them and would eat. All girls would see my face as i am clown .Thinking of it makes me feel stupid but this is truth.
I saw people how they like spicy food. Red chili ,green chili both are main ingredients to bring spice in dishes . I noticed mom had decreased it's use after her surgeries. But my many aunts including many my in law sisters and mom in law has not changed their habits with the time . When i go somewhere as guest and see how chili their food is makes me wonder how their health survives with this .
After marriage i always tried to learn ways which can help us stay healthy and i am still learning .Since years we are eating food which other people find "Tasteless " To them taste is spices . I am glad that i have found out eating is drama going on within your stomach more than making your taste buds exciting . If it is totally upto me i will choose happily fruits and vegetables but as i am responsible to cook for whole family so i have to be little bit experimental and verity of food is good to please them.
I like to eat all vegetables and fruits since almost 25 years .I have changed my eating habits and it has been good for my health. Grains are almost out of my routine . i take bread but it is hardly forth of one i used to take before. Taste has only meaning to me , a food that can cause me trouble is not tasty no matter how appealing it is for eyes tongue . What is good for my metabolism looks most tasty .
You can say my brain has moved in my stomach now lol
We do same with our life .To adopt taste of timely flavor we fill stomach of our life with unhealthy habits and get sick.
This is good to have foresightedness and avoid unhealthy choices. Being selective in positive manner is blessing inded!
Stay Healthy and strong dear friends!
Our taste buds do change over time! Also our stomachs. I cannot eat very spicy foods any more because of acid reflux. And I must say, I have never enjoyed mutton. It is too strong tasting for me. I don't even like lamb.
ReplyDeleteI find it is easy to overeat during this period of isolation. The solution for us has been not to have certain foods in the house. We eat a lot of vegetables every day.
ReplyDeleteWell said! Yes, food & other choices (including attitude) can cause harm or promote healing & well being.
ReplyDeleteStay safe, healthy and happy, my friend! Good weekend to you and your family:)
I know this skinny young lady who just explained to me that brussels sprouts are low calorie carbs too. I knew it but I prefer bread rice and potatoes for my carbs.
ReplyDeleteIt is so interesting to hear about your life journey with food, baili. I was never able to eat spicy food but didn't care for vegetables either, until middle age. Now I enjoy vegetables and find them flavourful. And I like your last point, that in other aspects of life we often do the same as we do (or did) with food - we go toward what is "tasty" rather than what is good for us. A great analogy!
ReplyDeleteKids sometimes have weird tastes and eating habits. as they mature, they start to eat a normal diet.
ReplyDeleteMy taste buds have changed over the years leading my to different food combinations.
ReplyDeleteI have not sense of smell so I suspect that I am only experiencing part of the pathwa...
Can say I haven't heard of anyone at school having tomatoe which is a fruit anyway, so you had fruit :)
ReplyDeleteOur taste changes as we grow, it continues to change and we eat what suits our bodies, what our stomach can endure.
In this house we eat meat everyday, veggies sometimes pasta and rice but none of us are fans of the latter two, it's ok for a change.
Take care.
What a fabulous post, dearest Baili!
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate to all you say here...my tastes as a child and teenager left me with an extremely limited diet. I would only eat meat, potatoes and peas...plus absolutely everything sweet! A dreadfully unhealthy diet, that left me with life long health issues.🙁
My Mom tried her best to encourage me to eat healthily, but most of those foods were nauseating to me...like my father's Sunday treat was rice pudding, and just the aroma of it caused me to dash to the bathroom and vomit!😛 Still, today, I can't bear the smell of rice pudding! Lol
My tastes have changed immensely over the years though, and now I will eat most foods. I really like red lentils too!
Like you, I have suffered with stomach problems since childhood...so do have to be somewhat cautious about what I eat. But I can say that now I eat much more healthily. If only I had listened to Mom when I was a child! But back then, taste always won the inner battle!😉
Thank you so much for another brilliant post, my wonderful friend!!
Have a fabulous day...and stay safe.
Much love and hugs ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Hello, it is hard to eat healthy, hubby and I try really hard. Hubby has a sweet tooth. Luckily I like most foods, especially the veggies. Take care, stay well. Have a happy new week!
ReplyDeleteAlthough my parents always encouraged me to try new tastes, I can remember as a child I was never that adventurous …
ReplyDeleteThank goodness that as I grew older I did embrace more tastes and variety, and still do.
All the best Jan
My food choices have changed over the years. I now eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, and very little bread and pasta. I've also changed from dairy to non-dairy beverages. And I've actually never felt better!
ReplyDeleteAgree with your comment on appetite and hunger. That's how I feel sometimes.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
Hello Baili, it was really interesting to follow your journey with food. When you chose tomato at school, perhaps it may have been something in tomatoes your body needed at that time. You're intuitive enough to have, maybe unconsciously, sensed that.
ReplyDeleteI have no problems with a wide range of food and feel very lucky. I make sure we have a variety of fruit, vegetables and small portions of meat each day. For occasional treats a pudding with cream or apple crumble or something like that.
Hoping life is going ok for you, warmest good wishes xx
More and more we have to pay attention to ou eating habits.
ReplyDeleteRespect Nature and our bodies.
Have a great week
Quando somos crianças rejeitamos muitas coisas que nos fazem bem, mas que pensamos que não gostamos. Mas depois ganhamos os nossos hábitos de uma alimentação equilibrada e gostosa. E isso é bom.
ReplyDeleteUma boa semana cheia de saúde e paz.
Um beijo.
I am not fond of hot or very spicy foods, but do like chili if it is milder. I really like cauliflower and eggplant and most other veggies, unlike my husband who dislikes a few especially Brussel sprouts so they are never cooked in our home. I enjoy them if we eat out and its on the menu. We tend to eat more home-cooked meals, even if they are simple ones like the vegetable and cheese omelet we will have for tonite's dinner. We do dine out when on road trips or extended travel and then I eny sampling any special food unique to the area.
ReplyDeleteI am struggling to avoid snacks. I always have some chips, nuts, chocolate, and cookies. The good one, I crave fresh vegetables :)
ReplyDeleteStay well!
I also had terribly unhealthy eating habits when younger. About thirteen years ago I also straitened up and began to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. It is better and it is healthier. With that, I still have a taste for the bad stuff and I have to be careful that I do not overindulge.
ReplyDeletei totally eat different than i did as a kid. but oddly enough i use to like red meat and now i can't stand the thought of eating meat and i'm finding that i'm getting the same way about chicken. i think for me it's the more aware i become about life and Beings ...ugh..not sure how to express it but i'm finding it harder and harder to eat meat and then i don't really like a lot of vegetable. i have a spinach salad for dinner a couple times a week with lots of veggies cut up ..very small..so i know i'm eating them but not really tasting them. anyway ...once again i enjoy your posts.
ReplyDeleteI'm not fond of anything spicy, as it does not sit well with my stomach. I know my tastes have changed over the years too. There are things I eat now that I used to avoid and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteYour posts bring back so many memories, Baili! I still struggle with vegetables, but I love fruit. To this day I can't bear your lady fingers or okra. Sorry! I'm glad that your brain is moving your stomach now ~ LOL!
ReplyDelete