Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan‘s nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recently highlighted the need to practice mindful eating, emphasising the Jordan Formula. “If you are guilty of eating mindlessly, the Jordan formula can help. An easy way to enjoy every bite without guilt or gas,” Diwekar posted on Instagram.
But how do you decide how much to eat? Explaining this with an example of sabudana vada with chutney, Diwekar said, “Keep one on your plate and eat the second only if you are sure that you can also eat the third one. If you feel you cannot eat the third one, but want only two, then you deny yourself the second vada and stay with one. That’s how you stay within the limits of eating correctly. But if you can eat three, allow yourself the second one and also eat the third one.”
Now, if you want the fourth one, ask yourself if you can eat the fifth one. If the fifth one seems too much…then you don’t allow yourself the fourth one and stick to three.
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“So, the Jordan Formula is essentially about not going even with everything that you want to eat and keeping it at an odd number, stressed Diwekar.
Intrigued, we turned to certified diabetes educator and dietitian Kanikka Malhotra to understand better.
The formula guides eaters to pause and reassess hunger before taking an additional portion, framed through the lens of only proceeding if they believe they could eat yet another odd-numbered portion. “While this strategy is packaged as a culturally inspired mnemonic, the underlying mechanism is rooted in the science of mindful eating. Mindful eating encourages attunement to physiological hunger and satiety cues, which have demonstrated benefits in reducing binge eating, fostering healthier relationships with food, and improving body weight regulation,” Malhotra explained.
Pay attention to your hunger cues (Photo: Freepik)
From a scientific standpoint, however, adherence to any external rule, such as the odd-number ritual, may inadvertently shift focus from internal body signals to obedience to a formula, mentioned Malhotra.
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However, she also noted that if an individual focuses more on “should I take the second or third portion?” rather than “am I still physically hungry or satisfied?”, the approach may reduce the core benefits of mindful eating”.
“Evidence-based mindful eating involves tools such as hunger/fullness rating scales, eating slowly, removing distractions, and sensory engagement with food are all designed to increase awareness and enjoyment of food while improving self-regulation,” said Malhotra.
While the odd-number portion rule offers a “memorable tool to foster initial mindfulness around eating, its efficacy depends on how well it encourages the eater to tune into their own body’s cues, rather than simply obeying external scripts”.
“The path to sustainable health is rooted in individualised attention to hunger, balanced nutrition, food enjoyment, and eating free from rigid, numerically based restrictions,” said Malhotra.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.