NHS surgeon reveals 3 surprising health benefits of eating with your hands: ‘Mini workout for your gut immune axis'

There is a lot of discourse surrounding the tradition of eating with your hands. Dr Karan Rajan has shared 3 surprising health benefits of the practice.

Is eating with your hands unhygienic, or could it actually be good for your health? While many associate the practice with tradition or culture, experts suggest it may have surprising benefits for digestion and mindful eating.

Dr Karan Rajan, a UK-based NHS surgeon and health content creator, is sharing the benefits of eating with your hands. In an Instagram video he posted on September 13, the surgeon detailed that the practice facilitates mindful consumption and aids overall digestive health. It stimulates slower eating, facilitating digestive enzymes, while also helping with the gut’s immune system. However, he emphasises that clean hands are non-negotiable – always wash them before eating.

Slower ingestion

Dr Rajan mentions that while your fingertips do not send magic signals to the gut to start digesting food, there is real scientific research supporting evidence that eating with your hands is beneficial for gut health. Using your hands while eating entails slowing down organically, and the eating process becomes more mindful – helping you connect with your food and chew more thoroughly.

“This means more saliva, enzymes, and stomach acids are released, all priming your gut for digestion,” states Dr Rajan, and also adds that using your fingers to consume food “adds tactile input, which aids flavour perception.”

He further elaborates, “The more senses you involve - touch, smell, sight - the more the brain registers satisfaction. That can actually prevent overeating because your brain gets the ‘I'm full’ signal sooner.”

Exposure to microbes

“Eating with clean hands can expose you to harmless microbes from your food, your fingers, and even your environment,” says Dr Rajan. He dubs this as a “mini workout for your gut immune axis” and further explains, “Tiny exposures like this may help to train your immune system to tell the difference between harmful and harmless bacteria.”

Built-in thermometer

The surgeon also points out that fingertips are your body’s built-in thermometer that can gauge the temperature of your food before consuming it. He explains, “The skin here is keratinised squamous epithelium, way more heat resistant than the delicate non-keratinised lining inside your mouth.” So when you physically touch food, it allows you to get an idea of the temperature of the food, potentially saving you from burning your mouth. Dr Rajan names fingertips the ‘digestion joysticks’ of the body.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.