Why did the ancient Romans and Greeks eat lying down
Among the recommendations of modern doctors and nutritionists, you can often find advice not to eat standing and lying down. According to experts, meals in these positions can cause harm to the body. But we know perfectly well that in the ancient world it was customary to feast lying down. Where did such a custom come from and why did people abandon it?
The ancient Romans and Greeks did not sit at the tables during meals, but reclined. Moreover, they preferred to do lying down and many other things. For example, in a horizontal position, they read letters, talked with friends and even held serious official meetings.
The reason why intellectual tasks were solved lying down was extremely simple. The ancients reasonably believed that in a resting position, the body distracts the brain less with signals and it works better. But for work and meals, not beds and sofas were used, but special sun beds - apoklintra. It was convenient to be reclining on them, leaning on the left elbow.
This pose, according to the ancients, was perfect for eating. The stomach, located on the left, rested on a soft surface. This made it possible to fill your stomach to capacity without experiencing discomfort. Skilled craftsmen managed to make an apoclinter so that its owner could lie on it for hours without changing his posture.
The places where the guests reclined during the feasts were located around a large table. This allowed them to take food and drinks on their own and refuse a large number of servants. It was accepted to eat a lot, because this was how the guests expressed their respect to the host. In the reclining position, more food was placed in the stomach and it was possible to taste all the dishes, of which there were sometimes several dozen.
But even the most voracious patricians could not always accommodate all the peddlers. Therefore, in the midst of a meal, many people left the room and emptied their stomach, causing vomiting. After that, as if nothing had happened, the guests returned to their comfortable couches and continued to eat viands and wines.
What seemed beautiful a couple of thousand years ago is not so pleasing these days. Eating in a supine position postpones the appearance of a feeling of satiety and forces a person to eat more. Therefore, observing the traditions of the ancient Romans or Greeks is a sure way to get obese. In addition, doctors generally do not recommend laying down once again, since a modern person moves so little.
Lying down increases the risk of developing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In this unpleasant condition, the contents of the stomach are thrown back into the esophagus due to the weakening of the sphincter. Because of this, chronic heartburn occurs and even cancer can develop. To exclude the development of GERD, it is better to refrain from lying down for two hours after eating.
But were the ancients really so stupid that they ate lying down for centuries to spite their health? Of course not. Scientists have found that if you lie on your left side after a hearty meal, you can get rid of the feeling of heaviness in the stomach. This happens because the food stops pressing on the lower part of the stomach.
Even when we are lying down, carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed more slowly than when we are standing or sitting. Therefore, eating lying down helps to prevent a sharp increase in blood glucose levels and associated insulin spikes. In general, the "Roman" method has both positive and negative sides.