Thought over food

" I will not have more pooris ma," I commented this morning. There was Ashtami Pooja at home, post the holy occasion of Navratras for Hindus. I was craving the Halwa and Poori, especially after fasting for a week. It was a beautiful sight to see those tiny pooris puff up in a pool of clarified butter and the warm aroma of halwa with hints of saffron and cardamom. I was in food paradise.

Food has been known to affect moods and reactions of people after consumption, which may be immediate of over a period of time. Research by Judith Wurtman, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has focused on how certain foods alter one's mood by influencing the level of certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. It has always been said that a heavy lunch makes one very lethargic, or eating fruits will keep you feeling light and energetic; this is the case when a heavy meal makes the stomach work more and hence requires more blood and leads to less blood supply to the brain. All this scientific explanation is good, but all I know is chocolate is my happy food, it makes me feel better on a gloomy day, and guess what, the studies agree with me. Chocolate releases Endorphins which help pep up the moods.

Food holds the greatest meaning at my household. You get up to chole bhature, move on to a pre lunch snack of idli and chutney that nani ( grandmother) sent, have a lunch of dal, roti, vegetables and rice, evening tea with bhel puri and dinner with butter chicken and naan. Wouldn't you call it love for food? 

Don't know if food really affect moods, but the food with love, does manage to satisfy the soul.