Light food – what’s good for your stomach

When your stomach needs a break, light food can help. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s been a tradition for centuries. Warm, mild, simple – exactly what a lot of people appreciate in those moments. Hildegard von Bingen knew this centuries ago. And we’re bringing it back today: with spelt, fennel, herbs, and the goal of not putting extra strain on your body.

What is light food?

Light food is easy-to-digest meals. No fat, no acids, no irritants. Cooked, steamed, mildly seasoned. For anyone who wants to give themselves a conscious break when eating.

Light food recipes that are easy on your stomach

Light dishes should be easy to digest and still provide enough nutrients. Mild soups with spelt semolina, gently cooked veggies like carrots or fennel, and easy-to-digest porridges, for example with zwieback and fennel tea, have proven themselves. Cooked apples or gently prepared grain dishes also fit well into a light food plan. The ingredients are simple and the prep is straightforward.

Light food for digestive discomfort

When your stomach needs some peace, a lot of people turn to light food. Steamed veggies like carrots, mild spelt-based grain dishes, and soothing teas, for example with fennel or peppermint, are great choices. Important: small portions, little fat, no raw ingredients.

Light food – the basics

Light food is all about gentle, easy-to-digest ingredients. Spelt, gently cooked veggies, and mild herbs like fennel or bertram are the foundation. What matters is that meals are warm, low in fat, and easy on the stomach.

What can you eat on a light food diet?

You can have anything that’s easy to digest, mild, and cooked. This includes especially:

• Gently cooked veggies like carrots, fennel, zucchini, or parsnips
• Spelt products: semolina, zwieback, noodles, light soups
• Cooked apple, ripe banana, or applesauce
• Mild herbs like fennel, bertram, or galangal
• Mild teas (e.g. fennel, lemon balm, peppermint)

You should avoid fatty, heavily spiced, or raw foods, as well as coffee, alcohol, and sugar.

What role does light food play for Hildegard von Bingen?

For Hildegard von Bingen, nutrition was a key part of her teachings. She recommended simple, easy-to-digest meals – warm, moderate, and natural. She considered spelt especially valuable, as well as gentle herbs and cooked veggies. She avoided raw foods, sugar, and highly processed foods. Her teachings are pretty similar to what we call light food today – except she saw it as totally natural 900 years ago.

These products are great for light food

In our shop you’ll find lots of items that fit perfectly into a light food phase – especially if you want to follow Hildegard’s teachings. Spelt products are a tried-and-true base, along with mild herbs and gentle teas.

• Organic Spelt Butter Zwieback
• Organic Balsam Fennel Tea
• Bertram Blend Powder
• Fennel Powder
• Cooked Sweet Chestnuts (vacuum-packed)

These products are easy to prepare – perfect for times when you want something light and easy to digest.

Light food as a mindful ritual

Light food doesn’t have to feel like a restriction – it can be a mindful ritual. Soft-cooked spelt dishes, mild veggies like fennel or carrots, and warming herbal teas turn any light food phase into a little break for yourself. Spices like bertram or galangal are classics in Hildegard’s teachings – best enjoyed warm and in small portions.