Do you know your emotions can cause food leftovers?

Eating, for most people, depends on how they feel, not necessarily if they’re hungry. Their reactions, shown in their eating habits, can also be described as ‘emotional eating,’ when people eat to deal with feelings and emotions rather than hunger.

After a satisfying meal, some foods cannot be consumed and become leftovers. The two spoons of rice that each family member or friend disposes of could be a full meal for someone else.

Presently, people are battling against hunger, so it’s important to economise and learn to minimise food wastage. To accomplish this, one should understand what triggers this, especially when it has become a habit.

Emotions

One of the triggers for leftovers that is often overlooked is emotions. Some people’s eating habits can be subject to feelings, and the aftermath is leftovers.

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Understanding your emotions is important because a person who is happy today may eat two plates of food, but that same person may only eat half a plate when sad. For example, when people are sad, they tend not to eat much, as their sadness takes up the space for more food.

Since emotions have been identified as a trigger for leftovers, it is crucial to understand those triggers, why they come, and how to manage them, even if they can’t be avoided.

Understand the triggers

If you notice that this happens whenever you are emotionally down, quickly do a self-reflection to identify what triggers such emotions. Note that the physical body tends to be subject to emotions. So, before you take that morsel or scoop, ask yourself: Do you want to eat? Would you finish the meal in front of you?

Manage your emotions

Though times and situations can be unpredictable, it is crucial to manage these emotions. You might want to take something light at the moment, instead of food, to build your mental health, such as fruits rich in magnesium.

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Seek help

It would be helpful to consult a medical practitioner for advice to avoid food wastage and to help with your mental health.