Treating Eating as a Fine Dining Experience Is Conducive to Good Health, Dr. Oscar John Ma

Eating Well Helps You Avoid Eating More

Retired emergency physician Dr. O John Ma says fine dining can be more than just healthy dining. Taking the same attitudes that enhance gourmet experiences enables appetite control in everyday life. Here are Dr. Ma’s seven suggestions for healthier, more enjoyable eating.

Plan Meals in Advance

Anyone planning a memorable meal in a special restaurant will look over the menu in advance. Creating a menu of the foods you enjoy and the easiest ways to prepare them helps you create a fine dining experience at home while ensuring mindful eating. Don’t fret if you can’t find the exact food you want. Just make it a priority for your next home dining experience.

Make Dinner a Priority

We all hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but if you are trying to cut back, breakfast is the best meal to minimize. Dinner is about more than just eating. It is a time to socialize. It is a time to unwind—at least until you have to do the dishes. Focus on the experience of having dinner rather than just the food, and enjoy delicious food in controlled portions,

Choose Colorful Foods

Choosing brightly colored foods, Dr. Ma says, stimulates interest in food and gives home chefs the possibility of creating works of culinary art. There is value in creating food that is “too pretty to eat.” Taking time to savor your meal as a visual experience helps you exercise portion control, and gives you reasons to compliment the chef.

Cook Creatively

Every nutritionist will advise patients to avoid or eliminate fried foods, buttery sauces, and sugary desserts. Dr. Oscar John Ma sees dietary restrictions as a cue for culinary creativity. Eat a small portion of the foods your dietitian wants you to minimize, surrounded by flavorful, colorful, interesting side dishes low in calories but high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Don’t Just Eat Fine Food, Drink Fine Water

Dr. Ma points out two principles of dietary restraint.

Variety stimulates consumption, so when you prepare a variety of foods, you must prepare various healthy foods. Variety also stimulates the drive for hydration. And while hydration is fundamental to nutrition, tap water is boring.

Artisanal mineral waters add interest to meals and come calorie-free. Offer more than one brand of mineral water at each meal to add interest and stimulate your appetite for even greater hydration.

Imbibe Fine Wine in Moderation, If At All

Some people simply cannot or choose not to consume alcohol. Non-drinkers can explore verjuice and seltzers to complement their meals. If you enjoy wine, plan a good wine that matches your meal, and drink in moderation.

Keep Dinner Relaxed

Fine dining authority Dr. Oscar John Ma advises against booking a table in a fine dining restaurant for 7:30 in the evening if you want time to savor your food and service. Similarly, you benefit from banning interruptions to dinner, saving time for socializing with the people you love over the food you enjoy.