The benefits of eating alone



Should you eat to live or live to eat?... a question posed by French playwright Moliere in his work 'The Miser'. While eating is functional, and our bodies need the fuel that food provides, dining with friends or loved ones can be a wonderful experience. However, some of us often find ourselves reserving a table for one in a restaurant. But is dining alone really that bad? Maybe not.



We all have foods we like and dislike. Maybe it's a pungent cheese or stinky fish. We sometimes hold back on things that may offend the noses of others. When dining alone, we can consume whatever we like, with the added bonus that we might be able to eat more healthily.



Often, if you want a salad and your significant other wants some less healthy cuisine, you end up ordering the same. And if you don't get the same, you might end up with food envy as you watch someone chow down on a pizza while you're left holding the lettuce.



Have you ever spent too long debating with people which restaurant to eat in or when to meet? If dining solo, you can make the choice depending on your culinary desires at that moment and get your nourishment at exactly the time you're hungry! And why does it have to be a restaurant? You could eat in a park, garden or even your bed – the point is, the choice is yours!



That alone time also means it's a time to switch off. According to psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter, a bit of solitude can help your brain to unwind and may help you concentrate more.



Finally, for some, dining alone can be a necessity. For those of us who suffer from misophonia, a hatred of sound, that can in some cause PTSD, the noise of someone else masticating can be unbearable. Eating alone can save you from the extreme anxiety that may arise listening to someone smack their lips or the sloshing of saliva in their mouths!



So, is eating alone bad? Well, it may not be for everyone, but there certainly are some benefits to it. Try it sometime – you might just like it!



词汇表

playwright [ˈpleɪraɪt] 剧作家，编剧

The Miser [ˈmaɪzə(r)] 《吝啬鬼》（莫里哀创作的喜剧作品）

fuel [ˈfjuːəl] 燃料，能量来源（这里比喻食物所提供的能量）

reserve [rɪˈzɜːv] 预订，预约

pungent [ˈpʌndʒənt] （气味或味道）浓烈的，刺鼻的

stinky [ˈstɪŋki] 恶臭的，难闻的

hold back on 克制，抑制，忍住

offend the noses [əˈfend] 让鼻子不适，刺鼻（指气味让人难以忍受）

dine alone / dine solo [daɪn][ˈsəʊləʊ] 独自用餐，一人食

consume [kənˈsjuːm] （大量地）吃，喝

added bonus [ˈædɪd ˈbəʊnəs] 额外好处，额外福利

significant other 重要的另一半（指配偶或伴侣）

cuisine [kwɪˈziːn] 美食，菜肴；烹饪

food envy [fuːd ˈenvi] 食物嫉妒（看到别人吃的美味食物时产生的嫉妒心理）

chow down [tʃaʊ] 大口吃，大块朵颐

lettuce [ˈletɪs] 生菜，莴苣

culinary desires [ˈkʌlɪnəri dɪˈzaɪəz] 食物欲望，食欲

nourishment [ˈnʌrɪʃmənt] 营养，滋养，提供营养的食物

switch off 放松，放空，不再关注

unwind [ˌʌnˈwaɪnd] 放松，减压（尤指从工作或紧张状态）

misophonia [ˌmaɪsəˈfəʊniə] 恐音症（一种对特定声音产生厌恶或不适的心理疾病）

hatred [ˈheɪtrɪd] 憎恨，强烈的厌恶

PTSD 创伤后应激障碍（Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder）

masticate [ˈmæstɪkeɪt] 咀嚼，嚼碎（食物）

smack one's lips [smæk] （吃东西时）咂嘴

slosh [slɒʃ] （液体）溅，泼，搅动，晃动

saliva [səˈlaɪvə] 唾液，口水



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