Indians have westernised their way of eating over the years. Originally the Indians ate with their hands. Some people find eating with hands to be unhygienic and inconvenient and prefer the use of cutlery. Although the connection of eating with the fingers is with a human’s psychology and soul. The act of eating food with the fingers satisfies both the mind and the body. To get the authentic taste of India in Germany visit Dosa and more, a pure vegetarian Indian hotel in Berlin. The practice of eating using hands is still followed in parts of India and resides as a tradition in most Indians. The reason people prefer eating with their hands is the satisfaction of having food. When one eats with their hands they feel fuller and their stomach feels more satisfied. The main motive is to appreciate the food served and the eating process by using as many sensory tools as possible. Sitting on the floor is also a famous eating practice in various parts of Asia.
Leaves have been used for serving food for ages now. This practice began when human’s lived in forests and were unaware of the term cutlery. Leaves back in those times were used for many purposes one of them being, for serving food. Many eco-friendly restaurants and food chains have started serving food on leaves to reduce their Carbon footprint and promote a natural, healthy, and eco-friendly way of eating. It is very easy to clean leaves as well.
Banana leaves are the most famous kind of plates that are used mostly in South Indian states. This practice is very common in India and mostly all South Indian hotels, restaurants, food joints even in some houses. Water is generally sprinkled on freshly plucked Banana leaves before serving food as a sign of cleansing. Before metal became the backbone of the cutlery industry, leaves were a very common practice. Eating with hands while eating on a Banana leaf was imperative, to avoid tear in the leaf at any point. Before metal was used to make cutlery human’s used wooden plates and utensils to consume food, but using Banana leaves was considered more sterile and hygienic.
Features of Banana leaves:
1. It is an inexhaustible resource, specially because of the abundance of banana trees in South India
2. Thick and huge
3. Easy to clean
4. More sterile than wooden plates and those made with other metals
5. Eco-friendly
6. Look unique
7. Contains a lot of polyphenols, a cancer-preventing agent found in plant-based foods
8. Imparts an aroma into the food that makes it tastier
9. Looks more appetising because of the green, shiny colour
10.Banana leaves do not puncture easily
The Banana leaves’ tip is always facing towards the left, this indicates development, strengthening, and advancement of the body. From ancient times, a tipped Banana leaf is encouraged for eating food because they are compared to the spinal cord of a human being. To enjoy authentic flavours of a South Indian dosa visit Dosa and more in Berlin.
The hypothalamus of the human brain is responsible for the secretion of hormones that control various characteristics of the human body, like hunger, thirst, sleep, etc. Exposure to the green light in the morning promotes the release of the hormone cortisol which encourages the body to start the day and improves metabolism. Ghrelin is a hormone produced mainly by the stomach that increases the appetite of the person. The colour green is responsible for the situation of this hormone and increases one appetite because it makes one feel guilt-free. When people see green colour they tend to associate it with guilt-free eating, thus an increased appetite. Healthy food and freshness are the two key associations one makes with the colour green. Thus when a person is served in a green plate, like Banana leaf, they tend to eat the food guilt-free thus ensuring proper digestion and a happy digestive system.
Apart from the green Banana leaf being a unique and distinguished choice, there are many scientific reasons to choose it too. The colour of the leaf is the most important one. The colour green is the colour of nature. Thus the usage of green leaves makes the brain think that you are environment-friendly and that it is ecological. The green colour is also associated with health, thus a person who is served on a shiny, fresh green leaf believes that whatever they are having is very healthy for their body, thus satisfying their physical need. The greener the leaf is, the fresher it is considered to be. So post every meal eaten on a green leaf, one feels refreshed and energised. Visit the top Indian restaurant in Berlin, Dosa and more to enjoy the authentic taste of South Indian dishes and more!