We become what we eat, not only physically but also mentally and intellectually, though effects on the latter are difficult to see immediately. The Gita teaches us to eat fresh food for good health. Food should be fresh and healthy, not merely for the satisfaction of our palate. Food is to be taken like medicine in proper amounts at proper times for good health. We eat to live, and not live to eat.

We live to serve the Lord, others, nature, and ourselves. Fresh food has good taste in itself. We act against our own interest because of our ignorance of the purpose of life, human body, mind, and intellect. Stale food causes a kind of stale nature -- dull, lazy, and inactive. Even animals by nature do not eat stale food. A lion kills fresh prey every time he has to eat.

The Gita tells us that human life is solely for Self-Realization and that any other objectives are secondary and should have been achieved in our previous lower life. Eating, sleeping, breeding, mating, living, and dying are common to both animals and human beings. Human beings alone are endowed with a faculty to realize our superiority by knowing and becoming God. So eat for this purpose alone. Any other goal of eating will frustrate us later. We are here to become divine and go from animal propensities to divine dignity. That is the goal. The Gita says eating through all organs -- mouth, eyes, nose, ears, and skin -- must be directed to this singular goal.

-- Swami Radhanandaji