Why Ayurveda Says You Should Start Your Meal With Something Sweet And End With Spicy

Got done with a hearty meal? But there is something missing. What is it? What is it that still feels incomplete? You dished into a plateful of biryani yet your eyes are on a lookout of something that would conclude the amazing meal experience. A bowlful of Phirni or piping hot jalebi and rabrishould do the trick you think? Well, you are not alone. In any good meal experience, desserts play a crucial role. Since our childhood we have been conditioned to wait for the desserts till the end. And we don't seem to mind the idea either. After all 'saving the best for the last' is something that keeps us hooked till the very end. But did you know that according to Ayurveda, the idea of ending the meal with something sweet may wreak havoc on your tummy. In fact, one should start their meal with something sweet and end with astringent or spicy, notes Ayurveda. Puzzled? Read on to know the reason behind this unusual order of having your meal.According to Ayurvedic Expert Dhanvantri Tyagi, "Not just our food, the order and pattern in which we take our food also has a deep link with our digestive system. Ayurveda suggests that we should start with something "meetha", as something sweet takes the longest to digest. Next in line should be sour and last should be something spicy. Eating the sweet item first enables the flow of digestive secretions. By pushing the sweets to the last, you would slow down your digestion."(Also Read: 5 of Ayurveda's Best Kept Secrets for Great Health, Fitness & Glowing Skin)Having a bite or two of sweet or a chunk or gur(jaggery) sweet right at the start of your meal is also said to activate the taste buds. Having them right at the end can put off the digestive fire. It may cause fermentation and indigestion due to the acidic secretions. This could also trigger gas formation and bloating.To counter these effects, Ayurveda suggests that one must start with something sweet at the outset, followed by something sour and salty in the middle, and finally something spicy or astringent. Having spicy food in the end helps douse the Kapha dosh(earth), while something sugary at the start takes care of the Vayu(wind) imbalance.That's what Ayurveda's take on the order of your meal. Would you like to bite into your rasgulla before or after your meal? Do let us know what you think.