When it comes to food, we’re constantly searching for the perfect diet, learning all about nutrients, and focusing mainly on what we shouldn’t eat. But how often do we stop to consider what food really is?
During my own journey with food, I discovered that food isn’t just fuel, but above all an essential part of the creative process we call life. Food is about life force, resilience, and vitality. But it also touches on something deeper. It connects us to our instincts, our culture, and the spirit of the times in which we live.
My fondest memories go back to the days before guests would arrive. I would spend hours in the kitchen with my mother, where we baked cakes together. My favorite part was licking the pans clean, especially the one from the arretjescake.
What’s on my mind now is the question of whether, by focusing on theoretical knowledge, we risk losing precisely what makes food so magical: the sense of wonder about life in all its facets.
I’d love to share my perspective on the spiritual value of food with you.
Food is life
Every form of food, whether animal-based or plant-based, forms a direct connection to the world around us.
Take an apple, for example. We tend to view the apple as a source of fiber and vitamins. What we overlook is that an apple is much more the result of sunlight, water, soil, and time. Every process involved in the growth of that apple reflects the essence of life.
The same applies to animal-based foods. We view meat, dairy, and eggs as protein-rich sources, but we forget that these are the result of natural processes. A cow that has been outdoors, exposed to sunlight, had sufficient exercise, and enjoyed healthy interaction with other cows possesses a completely different vitality than a cow raised in factory farming. Everything in her environment contributes to the quality of what she provides us.
When we nourish ourselves with wholesome, natural foods, we tap directly into that network of life, light and energy. In this way, we nourish our own ecosystem.
Nature provides us with exactly the nutrition we need
Another insight I’ve gained is that locally grown food perfectly provides us with the nutrients we need within our own climate during the respective season.
In the fall, there are nutritious root vegetables, such as pumpkin and celeriac, that help us stay warm and strengthen our immune system. In the spring, leafy greens and herbs flourish, providing us with the vitamins and minerals we need to replenish our energy.
So it’s not surprising that in the summer, our bodies prefer a fresh strawberry over a mango that’s been through a jet lag.
Nutrition boosts resilience
What I also discovered was that all processes in nature reflect the resilience of life. Every form of life is constantly in motion and always seeking balance. This is how a plant can stand upright again after a severe storm. The roots provide the branches and leaves with nourishment and strength, even after they’ve been damaged.
We also see this resilience in our health. Our bodies have a natural ability to adapt, heal, and renew themselves. When we eat resilient foods, we strengthen our own resilience. This makes us better able to recover from, for example, a cold, the flu, or stress.
The “Wood Wide Web” versus our family system
A wonderful example of the wonders of nature is the underground communication system that connects trees and plants, often called the “Wood Wide Web.” Through a network of fungi known as mycorrhiza, trees and plants exchange nutrients, water, and even signals.
One of the most moving stories I’ve heard is that of the tree that, when it senses its life is coming to an end, passes on its last nutrients to the young seedlings around it. Through an underground network, the tree recognizes exactly where its “children” are and consciously passes on its last life energy to them.
That led me to wonder how deeply I am connected to my family constellations. That led me to wonder how deeply I am connected to my family system. Just as trees pass on nutrients to the next generation through the Wood Wide Web, we, too, pass on values, traditions, and patterns. This underground network reminds me that our ties to family and ancestors are invisible but deeply rooted.
The microbiome: “the goodies” versus “the baddies”
I had never stopped to think about the fact that the essence of our health literally lies beneath our feet: the soil. This soil is home to a rich population of microorganisms, the microbiome, which is essential for optimizing plant growth.
What’s interesting is that the microbiome in the soil and the one in our guts are connected in a unique way. Part of our microbiome comes directly from nature, mainly through our food. Just a little bit of sand on lettuce grown in healthy soil can give your gut microbiome a big boost!
A healthy gut microbiome revolves around the balance between “the goodies” and “the baddies.” As long as “the goodies” have the upper hand, everything is fine. But as soon as “the baddies” gain the upper hand, it’s time to take action. It’s crucial to nourish “the goodies” optimally, which mainly means eating plenty of fiber-rich plants, vegetables, and fruits.
Your instincts know exactly what you need!
I was also unaware of our body’s instinctive ability to sense exactly which nutrients it needs. This instinct acts as an internal radar that guides us toward the right foods.
It turns out that young children often intuitively choose what their bodies need. I’m reminded of my middle son, who, when he was about two years old and often very tense, craved bananas all day long. That is, until someone told me that he subconsciously sensed he needed magnesium to relax.
Similarly, many pregnant women suddenly crave herring. This can be a sign that their bodies need more omega-3 fatty acids for their baby’s brain development.
Another great example is athletes, who often instinctively choose foods that help with recovery and energy. After a strenuous workout, they might crave, for example, a smoothie with fruit and nuts, which provides them with the right mix of carbohydrates and protein.
How industrial food disrupts the instinctive process
Unfortunately, industrially processed foods containing refined sugars, trans fats, and artificial additives can disrupt this instinctive system.
Refined sugars manipulate the reward centers in the brain, causing our bodies to send out false signals. Trans fats and artificial sweeteners and flavorings can further exacerbate this disruption, making us more likely to reach for quick, unhealthy sources of energy instead of listening to what our bodies truly need.
This can cause us to no longer properly recognize the signals that used to guide us toward healthy, nutritious options.
The culture and tradition of food
The wonder of food goes a step further, because food is not just a biological process. It is also an important part of culture and tradition.
For example, I met Italian families who gathered during the season to process the ripe tomatoes after the harvest. This annual tradition, which goes hand in hand with gossip and storytelling, provides a supply of tomato sauce and strengthens family bonds.
Another example can be found among indigenous cultures, such as the Aboriginal people of Australia, who base their food gathering and preparation on centuries-old knowledge of nature. They organize rituals around hunting and gathering wild edible plants, during which the community comes together to celebrate what the earth provides. This not only strengthens their connection to nature but also to one another, nourishing both body and soul.
Personally, I think back to our family tradition during redberry season. The whole family would go berry-picking, and my mother would then make jam out of them. This simple activity gave meaning to our time together as a family.
How fermentation connects us to our ancestors
Fermentation beautifully illustrates how food connects us to our ancestors and our history.
A great example is traditional balsamic vinegar from Italy. This process begins with boiling grape must, which ferments for years in wooden barrels. In the past, it was customary to include a barrel of balsamic vinegar in a young woman’s dowry as a symbol of prosperity. Similarly, when a child was born, people would often start a barrel of vinegar that slowly aged as the child grew up. Upon reaching adulthood, this vinegar was then passed down as a valuable heirloom.
A similar example is miso from Japan, a fermented paste made from soybeans that is often produced in family-run businesses and passed down from generation to generation.
Scarcity mindset versus abundance
Although scientific knowledge can help us better understand nutrition, it has its limitations. When we focus exclusively on theories, charts, numbers, and diets, we lose sight of the bigger picture. It often blinds us to the wondrous complexity of nature.
This scarcity mindset regarding food often does not lead to better health, but rather to a sense of deprivation. A healthy ecosystem, on the other hand, is all about abundance: the richness of life and biodiversity that nourishes us and connects us to the earth.
By shifting our focus to nature’s abundance and dynamism, we can forge a deeper connection with our food. I am convinced that this is the key to better health, both for ourselves and for the nature around us. To be honest, this was the moment that truly captivated me as a bon vivant.
The role of our senses in nutrition
The simplest way to reconnect with the essence of food is through our senses. By seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting, we turn eating into a mindful experience. In this way, we transform meals from something we do automatically into a moment of appreciation for the nutritional value and the process that food undergoes.
I’d like to share this simple exercise with you: Take a small piece of fruit, such as a grape. Feel its texture and look closely at its color. Smell it, and then take a bite. Chew slowly and consciously savor all the flavors. Reflect on the journey this grape has taken to end up in your mouth.
Conclusion: back to a sense of wonder
How can we rediscover a sense of wonder about food? By seeing our food as something alive, rather than a collection of numbers and theories. By simply taking a moment to reflect on nature and observe the magic of the growth process.
But also by preparing our own food and trusting our own creativity in the process, by eating together and sharing stories, by eating without external distractions, by learning more about the history and traditions of food, by choosing seasonal produce, and by consciously reflecting on the source of our food.
Because food, in its deepest essence, is nothing more than life itself.
Curious?
My lecture: Food for Thought explores the impact of food on the vitality of people and nature. This makes it ideal for companies and organizations that want to promote the well-being of their employees while also contributing to a healthier world.
Get in CONTACT today, and I’ll tell you more!
ir. Marieke de Zwaan
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Marieke de Zwaan (ir. TU Delft, 2001) is a keynote speaker on food & vitality and a coach in the field of vitality & leadership, with a specialisation in giftedness, engineers and analytically minded professionals. After a decade of travelling through America, Australia and Brazil, she transformed from more than twenty years of chronic illness, migraine and burnout, into optimal vitality. Not by following the right rules, but by learning to see differently. Since 2012 she has been inspiring people and organisations at home and abroad as a speaker and coach. Her strength lies in a systemic perspective: she sees what is playing out beneath the surface, in people and in organisations alike. This is why she is called upon in a wide range of contexts, from keynotes for international businesses and technical organisations to individual coaching trajectories at the intersection of vitality, leadership and lifestyle.