Guideline 2: Regulating Food Intake

Contrary to popular belief, consuming excessive amounts of healthy food isn't always beneficial. In fact, one of the leading causes of death is overindulgence in food, even when it's composed solely of healthy ingredients. The harm from excess food is twofold:

1. It leads to unnecessary body fat storage.

2. It overburdens vital organs and harms digestion quality.

The explanation is simple. The human digestive system is marvelously crafted, composed of grinding and kneading mechanisms, transportation systems, laboratory rooms, digestive tubes, and more, all of which work together to transform solid food into construction and combustion materials for the body. Special mechanisms also identify and remove waste from the body. Initially, food is crushed and ground by teeth, turning it from a solid lump into small particles. At the same time, salivary glands release fluids to soften and break down the particles, and the tongue kneads them into a uniform mass before transferring it to the throat's opening. A muscular system then pushes the chewed food through a special tube into the stomach, a central laboratory chamber. Here, various juices are produced, and the stomach's walls vigorously mix the food mass, ensuring it incorporates gastric juices effectively. From the stomach, the food travels through an intestine that is seven to eight meters long. It starts at the duodenum, where various laboratory chambers release digestive juices, and ends in the large intestine. During the journey, the small intestine walls absorb nutrients needed by the body, while waste continues on to the large intestine for temporary storage until excretion. Interestingly, the Creator showed great mercy by placing the waste removal exit at the back of the body and the delightful, aromatic food entrance at the front. Additional mercy lies in the fact that waste does not automatically exit, but is stopped by a special muscle gate that opens only with instructions from the brain, which acts with consideration and decorum. Points to ponder regarding how well-designed our bodies are—no accident of nature.[1]

Regarding our topic, the stomach acts like a balloon that can expand and contract based on the amount of food inside. For digestion to occur properly, the stomach needs to remain soft and flexible, not overloaded and compressed. Only then can it effectively mix digestive juices—which it produces and are vital for correct digestion—with the food in the needed quality and duration. Overeating prevents the stomach from functioning correctly and impedes proper digestion. Additionally, this context highlights the importance of thorough and relaxed chewing, allowing the stomach and the rest of the digestive system to perform effectively.

Maimonides viewed excessive food consumption as so harmful that he declared:[2] "Eating a little bit of harmful foods (such as smoked meat, white flour, and others Maimonides detailed in the Book of Knowledge[3] labeled as harmful foods, but not referring to foods with harmful ingredients like in contemporary times), causes less damage than consuming large amounts of good and healthy foods." He further added in the Book of Knowledge:[4] "Excessive eating [overindulgence] damages every person's body like a deadly poison. It is the main [reason for] all illnesses. Most illnesses that afflict people come from either harmful foods or filling one's stomach and overeating, even from good foods. As Solomon wisely said[5] 'He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself from troubles.' Meaning, he guards his mouth from eating harmful food or overeating, and his tongue from speaking unnecessarily."

What is the appropriate quantity to eat at a meal? It depends on each person's body size, but the key is to stop eating before reaching fullness. Here is Maimonides' guidance from the Book of Knowledge:[6] "A person should not eat until full, but should reduce the portion by roughly a quarter of satiety." Stopping food intake when the stomach is about 75% full ensures proper digestion that maximizes nutrient absorption.