Food: Pleasure or Purpose?

As I was running on the beach in the bay last week, doing my regular mental cleansing, a question popped to mind... do I eat for pleasure or purpose?

For years people have made fun of my diet. I've been called weird, hippy, vegan, and accused of wearing patchouli. No--I don't wear patchouli nor will I ever consider it! I don't really care what other people think of my diet, but I wonder, if I was eating more pleasurable foods, would I need less of them to satisfy me?

I suppose you'd need to understand my diet: tons of veggies, sprouted whole grains, fish, almond butter, beans, tofu... dairy is substituted most often for soy cheese and soy sour cream, lots of garlic and ginger & olive oil.

I wonder now, is it quantity or quality that satisfies more? I know I can be mentally thrilled with a piece of chocolate, but hungry for nutrient dense calories afterwards. I suppose my answer is: a balance. Many foods that repulse others are fantastic to me: eggless tofu salad, brocolli and spinach all the time, flax seed oils, sprouted spelt bread... the list continues. BUT, I know sourdough bread is delicious. I know sugar, fried food, simple carbs are delicious. I also know how I feel afterwards: bloated with a headache, but endulged.

I suppose some people are used to living with headaches. So much of the world is currently dehydrated and doesn't even know it! So if I were to tune out to my body, eat simple-refined sugars and not be able to tell the difference, perhaps I'd get more pleasure out of food?

My conclusion: food is an investment in our bodies. From the moment we consume it, to how it feels digesting and hour later, or half a day later. The pleasure may not appear right at consumption, but pleasure in the reaction of our bodies is abundant.

I guess that is what the 80-20 rule is for: eat good-for-you-foods 80% of the time, and 20% of the time--endulge.