‘Eat sweets before meals, not after’; Ayurveda Expert

Humans have a propensity of eating something sweet after every meal. Even during gatherings, appetizers and soups are served first, followed by sweets. This has been a year-long behavioral trend. However, many people are unaware that our old Indian tradition advises us to have sweets before beginning our full-fledged dinner. For our bodies to function properly, our forefathers and forebears established certain regulations. Obviously, there must be a basis for this regulation as well.

It is thought that the ayurvedic eating sequence is based on flavor, i.e. sweet, sour, salt, pungent, bitter, and astringent. That implies starting the meal with something sweet, then something salty in the middle, then something astringent or spicy at the conclusion. Eating foods that satisfy all six tastes helps us stay healthy. Foods with a single or few flavors can cause a variety of health concerns.

Sweet flavor, unlike other tastes, has an immediate effect on our taste buds. Eating sweet items initially promotes the progression of stomach-related emissions; it speeds up digestion and benefits your taste senses. Furthermore, a few studies have indicated that if you conclude your meal with sweets, they will react with the acid and cause digestive issues such as bloating, acidity, and gastric blockage.

It is also recommended to take sweets first since they are composed of earth and water components, which are heavy by nature and hence difficult to digest. At the start of a meal, the digestive strength is at its peak, allowing individuals to easily digest sweet foods. Eating anything sugary after your meal slows your metabolism. Diabetes, obesity, thyroid issues, and PCOS can all be caused by a sluggish metabolism.

Eating sweets before meals helps the body release digestive hormones and enhance digestion. Having sweets after a meal might create gastrointestinal difficulties. At the conclusion of the meal, fennel seeds or buttermilk can be substituted for sweets or desserts to aid digestion and cleanse the mouth. Betel leaf with nuts and paan can also be eaten at the conclusion of a meal.