Review
The Magic of Mindful Eating: Bringing Tradition and Science
by Christian S. Kessler1,2 and Julia K. Schiele1
1Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTM), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
2Department of Internal and Nature-Based-Therapies, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Cite as: Kessler, C. S. & Schiele, J. K. (2025). The Magic of Mindful Eating: Bringing Tradition and Science. THE MIND Bulletin on Mind-Body Medicine Research, 7, 12-16. https://doi.org/10.61936/themind/202504304
Abstract
Mindful eating (ME) has gained significant scientific attention in recent years as a holistic and multidimensional approach to nutrition. ME, which focuses on enjoying food with all senses without judgment, might have the potential to address problematic eating behaviors and tackle weight related health challenges. This paper explores the clinical evidence supporting ME and its potential role in contemporary healthy nutrition concepts, with a particular focus on traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine (TCM). By bridging modern scientific research with traditional nutritional wisdom, ME might emerge as a powerful tool in fostering healthier relationships with food, improving overall well-being and beyond.
Mindful eating (ME) emphasizes awareness with all senses and a conscious appreciation of food and one´s eating experiences. ME focuses on paying attention to internal signals, such as hunger, thirst, and satiety, to prevent overeating, while using external cues like smaller portion sizes, reduced distractions, and eating slowly to enhance active awareness (Monroe, 2015).
Such approaches have been studied in clinical settings and have been linked to promising findings on common eating disorders (Barbosa et al., 2020; Mason et al., 2018) and metabolic health issues (Pepe et al., 2023; Tapper, 2022). Especially with regard to emotional eating, binge-eating (Godfrey et al., 2015; Kristeller et al., 2014), diabetes management (Miller et al., 2014), and weight loss (Pepe et al., 2023) the intersection of ME and conventional nutritional science and counseling seems to be a very promising field for future research and clinical practice.
There is evidence from a systematic review, that ME interventions could be a practical and low cost approach to weight control and might be as effective as conventional diet programs (Fuentes Artiles et al., 2019). Another review suggests that further high-quality research is needed to clarify the role and dynamics of ME in dietary intake and health outcomes, as no significant effects were identified (Grider et al., 2021; Warren et al., 2017).
ME could also possibly be integrated into breast cancer survivor care (Huang et al., 2023). A 9-week virtual teaching kitchen significantly improved ME scores, independent of BMI, by combining nutritional medicine with mindfulness-based behavioral strategies.
Furthermore, (whole food) plant-based diets might align well with ME principles, e.g. to tackle obesity. A study suggested that ME is associated with healthier predominantly plant-based food choices in young Japanese women (Kawasaki et al., 2021). A pilot study with a 6-weeks-mindful-eating-intervention improved weight, eating behaviors, and psychological well-being in obese individuals (Dalen et al., 2010). A cross-sectional study suggests that promoting ME could be beneficial for improving eating habits and supporting weight-loss in young adults. Also, ME was found to be significantly associated with both lower BMI and lower risk for type 2 diabetes (Kes & Can Çicek, 2021). Additionally, an experimental study found enhanced body satisfaction and improved quality of life after an 8-week-ME-intervention with ME guidance, nutritional education, cooking workshops, and food sensory analyses (Minari et al., 2024).
In the complex landscape of dietary recommendations and eating influences, mindful eating (ME) offers a way to reconnect with inner signals of hunger and satiety. It helps break automatic eating patterns while strengthening self-efficacy and self-regulation (Felske et al., 2022). However, the behavioral dynamics still need further research (Fig. 2).
Fig. 1. Mindful eating dynamics. Mindful versus mindless eating and weight regulation, highlight differences in awareness of bodily signals, emotional responses, and choices between habitual reactions and mindful decisions (Kristeller & Epel, 2014).
Mindful eating in traditional medicine
Traditional medical knowledge systems like Ayurveda and TCM, have always emphasized ME principles in nutritional and lifestyle medicine. They strongly advocate for personalized nutrition, conscious eating, and the alignment of dietary habits with circadian rhythms (Rai et al., 2022; Zhao et al., 2021), as well as societal and planetary health. Current conventional clinical research is now starting to validate many of these traditional concepts, offering a unique opportunity to integrate traditional nutritional wisdom with contemporary nutritional science (Agrawal et al., 2024; Gupta, 2024; Kessler et al., 2018; Kessler et al., 2017).
Ayurveda, an at least 2,000-year-old system of medicine originating in India, emphasizes the great importance of ME through the concept of "Ahara" (nutrition). Central Ayurvedic texts recommend eating with full awareness, savoring each bite, and aligning meals with natural rhythms (e.g. season, daytime). Ayurveda also categorizes foods based on their qualities/properties and their effects on both the individual’s healthy constitution and health disorder (Prakriti/Vikriti) (Guha, 2006; Gupta & Stapelfeldt, 2023). A German online-representative survey from 2024 suggests a growing interest in Ayurvedic principles in Western societies, indicating its potential in promoting holistic well-being by making use of traditional nutritional concepts (Schiele et al., 2024).
Similarly, TCM views food as a form of medicine and stresses the major relevance of balance and harmony in dietary habits. The principle of "Qi" (vital energy) is central to TCM, and ME practices in TCM aim to optimize energy flow by choosing foods that complement one’s internal state. Studies have shown that TCM-based dietary interventions can contribute to improved digestion and overall health (Yang et al., 2023; Zhao et al., 2021).
Low-threshold implementation and easily accessible
Incorporating ME into daily life could involve simple and low-cost yet impactful changes (Fig. 2). Medical professionals are increasingly integrating ME into routine patient care. Educational programs, such as the Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) developed by Kristeller (Kristeller & Wolever, 2014), provide training for future healthcare providers to incorporate ME approaches into integrative dietary counseling.
ME could be easily integrated into daily life, as it requires no special nutritional knowledge and can be practiced anytime. It is highly practical, helping individuals develop a healthier relationship with food through simple habits. For example, slowing down eating by chewing thoroughly and pausing between bites prevents overeating. Also, savoring food with all senses enhances satisfaction, making mindful eating a potentially sustainable and enjoyable practice (Fig. 1).
What makes ME outstanding is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike expensive pharmaceutical interventions, such as Semaglutide (GLP-1 receptor agonists), ME offers a natural and low-cost alternative for improving eating behaviors and preventing obesity-related diseases. While medications like Semaglutide suppress appetite artificially—often leading to a disconnection from bodily signals and creating significant financial costs—ME fosters awareness, long-term behavioral change, and overall well-being without relevant negative side effects. It encourages individuals to actively engage with their health instead of passively relying on weight-loss injections.
While ME can be practiced independently, guidance from a professional, participation in a group program, or structured training might provide valuable support and improve long-term success. Eat with awareness, and every meal becomes an act of self-care!
Conclusion
Mindful eating represents a powerful synthesis of awareness, appreciation, joy, and balance in routine dietary habits. Bridging traditional nutritional wisdom and conventional nutritional science, ME offers a sustainable and low cost approach to improving well-being and overall health. High-quality clinical evidence on the effectiveness of ME is still limited, highlighting the urgent need for prospective ME research, particularly on long-term effects, dietary intake, and quality, as well as biochemical markers (Fuentes Artiles et al., 2019; Rezende et al., 2024).
Fig. 2. Mindful eating practice. Practical implementation of mindful eating principles (Monroe, 2015).
As research continues to validate its potential benefits, ME stands as a valuable, easily applicable, and user-friendly tool for addressing contemporary global nutritional challenges and promoting holistic health approaches.
Keywords: Mindful eating, TCM, Ayurveda, nutrition
References
Agrawal, S., Jain, R., Hajira, S., & Prasad, N. (2024). Exploring Ayurvedic Dietary Principles Through a Scientific Lens: A Review of Nutritional Practices. Journal of Ecophysiology and Occupational Health.
Barbosa, M. R., Penaforte, F. R. d. O., & Silva, A. F. d. S. (2020). Mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in the approach to obesity and eating disorders. SMAD. Revista eletrônica saúde mental álcool e drogas, 16(3), 118–135.
Dalen, J., Smith, B. W., Shelley, B. M., Sloan, A. L., Leahigh, L., & Begay, D. (2010). Pilot study: Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL): weight, eating behavior, and psychological outcomes associated with a mindfulness-based intervention for people with obesity. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 18(6), 260–264.
Felske, A. N., Williamson, T. M., Rash, J. A., Telfer, J. A., Toivonen, K. I., & Campbell, T. (2022). Proof of concept for a mindfulness-informed intervention for eating disorder symptoms, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation among bariatric surgery candidates. Behavioral Medicine, 48(3), 216–229.
Fuentes Artiles, R., Staub, K., Aldakak, L., Eppenberger, P., Rühli, F., & Bender, N. (2019). Mindful eating and common diet programs lower body weight similarly: Systematic review and meta‐analysis. Obesity reviews, 20(11), 1619–1627.
Godfrey, K. M., Gallo, L. C., & Afari, N. (2015). Mindfulness-based interventions for binge eating: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of behavioral medicine, 38, 348–362.
Grider, H. S., Douglas, S. M., & Raynor, H. A. (2021). The influence of mindful eating and/or intuitive eating approaches on dietary intake: a systematic review. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(4), 709–727. e701.
Guha, A. (2006). Ayurvedic concept of food and nutrition.
Gupta, R. (2024). Integrating ayurveda with modern medicine for enhanced patient care: Analysis of realities. The Physician, 9(1), 1–6.
Gupta, S. N., & Stapelfeldt, E. (2023). Ayurveda-Medizin: kaya-cikitsa-Therapiekonzepte für innere Erkrankungen. Georg Thieme Verlag.
Huang, S., Riccardi, D., Pflanzer, S., Redwine, L. S., Gray, H. L., Carson, T. L., McDowell, M., Thompson, Z., Hubbard, J. J., & Pabbathi, S. (2023).
Survivors Overcoming and Achieving Resiliency (SOAR): Mindful Eating Practice for Breast Cancer Survivors in a Virtual Teaching Kitchen. Nutrients, 15(19), 4205.
Kawasaki, Y., Akamatsu, R., Fujiwara, Y., Omori, M., Sugawara, M., Yamazaki, Y., Matsumoto, S., Iwakabe, S., & Kobayashi, T. (2021). Is mindful eating sustainable and healthy? A focus on nutritional intake, food consumption, and plant-based dietary patterns among lean and normal-weight female university students in Japan. Eating and Weight Disorders-Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 1–17.
Kes, D., & Can Çicek, S. (2021). Mindful eating, obesity, and risk of type 2 diabetes in university students: A cross‐sectional study. Nursing Forum, 56(3), 483–489.
Kessler, C. S., Dhiman, K. S., Kumar, A., Ostermann, T., Gupta, S., Morandi, A., Mittwede, M., Stapelfeldt, E., Spoo, M., Icke, K., Michalsen, A., & Witt, C. M. (2018). Effectiveness of an Ayurveda treatment approach in knee osteoarthritis - a randomized controlled trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 26(5), 620–630. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2018.01.022
Kessler, C. S., Eisenmann, C., Oberzaucher, F., Forster, M., Steckhan, N., Meier, L., Stapelfeldt, E., Michalsen, A., & Jeitler, M. (2017). Ayurvedic versus conventional dietary and lifestyle counseling for mothers with burnout-syndrome: A randomized controlled pilot study including a qualitative evaluation. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 34, 57–65.
Kristeller, J., Wolever, R. Q., & Sheets, V. (2014). Mindfulness-based eating awareness training (MB-EAT) for binge eating: A randomized clinical trial. Mindfulness, 5, 282–297.
Kristeller, J. L., & Epel, E. (2014). Mindful eating and mindless eating: The science and the practice. The Wiley Blackwell handbook of mindfulness, 913–933.
Kristeller, J. L., & Wolever, R. Q. (2014). Mindfulness-based eating awareness training for treating binge eating disorder: the conceptual foundation. Eating Disorders and Mindfulness, 93–105.
Mason, A. E., Jhaveri, K., Cohn, M., & Brewer, J. A. (2018). Testing a mobile mindful eating intervention targeting craving-related eating: feasibility and proof of concept. Journal of behavioral medicine, 41(2), 160–173.
Miller, C. K., Kristeller, J. L., Headings, A., & Nagaraja, H. (2014). Comparison of a mindful eating intervention to a diabetes self-management intervention among adults with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Health Education & Behavior, 41(2), 145–154.
Minari, T. P., Araújo-Filho, G. M. d., Tácito, L. H. B., Yugar, L. B. T., Rubio, T. d. A., Pires, A. C., Vilela-Martin, J. F., Cosenso-Martin, L. N., Fattori, A., & Yugar-Toledo, J. C. (2024). Effects of mindful eating in patients with obesity and binge eating disorder. Nutrients, 16(6), 884.
Monroe, J. T. (2015). Mindful eating: principles and practice. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 9(3), 217–220.
Pepe, R. B., Coelho, G. S. d. M. A., da Silva Miguel, F., Gualassi, A. C., Sarvas, M. M., Cercato, C., Mancini, M. C., & de Melo, M. E. (2023). Mindful eating for weight loss in women with obesity: a randomised controlled trial. British journal of nutrition, 130(5), 911–920.
Rai, V., Singh, V., & Rai, S. (2022). Ayurveda daily regimen practices (Dinacharya): a scientific system model approach suitable as a quaternary prevention strategy for non-communicable diseases. TMR Integr Med, 6, e22020.
Rezende, F., Oliveira, B. M., & Poínhos, R. (2024). Assessment of intuitive eating and mindful eating among higher education students: a systematic review. Healthcare, 12(5), 572.
Schiele, J. K., Jeitler, M., Michalsen, A., Stapelfeldt, E., Ortiz, M., Sigl, M., Brinkhaus, B., Wischnewsky, M., & Kessler, C. S. (2024). Wellness or medicine? Use and perception of Ayurveda in Germany: data from an online-representative cross-sectional study. Frontiers in medicine, 11, 1408609.
Tapper, K. (2022). Mindful eating: what we know so far. Nutrition bulletin, 47(2), 168–185.
Warren, J. M., Smith, N., & Ashwell, M. (2017). A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviours: effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms. Nutrition research reviews, 30(2), 272-283.
Yang, S., Yang, H., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Yao-Shan of traditional Chinese medicine: an old story for metabolic health. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14, 1194026.
Zhao, X., Tan, X., Shi, H., & Xia, D. (2021). Nutrition and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM): A system’s theoretical perspective. European journal of clinical nutrition, 75(2), 267–273.