Regulations in Eating Prasadam

yuktähära-vihärasya yukta-ceñöasya karmasu

yukta-svapnävabodhasya yogo bhavati duùkha-hä

He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system. [BG 6.17] yuktähära means, as much as you require, you must eat.

yuktähära means to avoid both voracious eating and undernourishment.

One who starves himself cannot properly perform yoga. Nor can the person who eats more than required. The eating process should be moderate, just enough to keep body and soul together; it should not be for the enjoyment of the tongue. When palatable dishes come before us, we are accustomed to take not just one of the preparations but two, three and four – and upwards. Our tongue is never satisfied. But it is not unusual in India to see a yogé take only a small spoonful of rice a day and nothing more. [The Perfection of Yoga]

Eating should be Regulated

We should not eat more than is required for maintaining body and soul together.

We should not eat for enjoyment of the tongue or for satisfying the demands of the tongue.

Voracious eating is the cause of diabetes, and undernourishment is the cause of tuberculosis. This is the medical science. So we should not take under, neither more. [Lecture: SB: 1.8,37, Los Angeles, April 29, 1973]

The Ayurvedic system of eating is to decide how much you can comfortably eat, then take half of that amount, filling the remaining half: one quarter with water and leaving one quarter for air. This simple, regulated diet along with strict cleanliness will keep one healthy, strong and free from disease. [Letter to: Koumadaki, Australia, March 27, 1972]

Eating Program should be Simple

Our eating program should be nutritious and simple, not luxurious.

Overeating, over-sense gratification, over-dependence on another’s mercy, and artificial standards of living sap the very vitality of human energy. Therefore the duration of life is shortened.

Çréla Prabhupäda writes in a Letter to Gargamuni (London, November 20, 1969):

The eating program should be nutritious and simple, not luxurious. That means capatis, dahl, vegetables, some butter, some fruits and milk. This is necessary for keeping good health. But we should not indulge in sweetballs or halevah or like that daily. Too much first-class eating may stimulate our sex desires, especially sweet preparations. Anyway, eat Krishna Prasadam, but be careful that we may not indulge in luxury. For Krishna we can offer the most beautiful preparations, but for us Prasadam should be very simple.

Do not Restrict Artificially

We should minimize food; but not at the risk of health. Because we have to work for Krishna, we must maintain our health nicely. If one's body requires more food for maintaining it, he should not imitate someone who requires less food.

Eating, sleeping, mating, all these are material demands; the more we minimize, then that is good, but not at the risk of health. Because we have to work for Krishna, so we must maintain our health nicely. But we should not eat more than is required for maintaining body and soul together. That is the principle. It does not mean, however, that if one's body requires more food for maintaining it, that he should imitate someone who requires less food. The real point is that eating is for maintaining the body, not for luxury or for satisfying the demands of the tongue. …But, anyway, if anyone has the tendency to eat more, then let him eat more prasadam, than any nonsense, but eating more is not encouraged. But it is not that if I want more food that, artificially, I shall eat less. [Letter: Montreal, August 23, 1968]

Attitude for taking Prasädam

The devotee’s attitude is that he will eat only when Kåñëa gives him prasäda. [Nectar of Instruction: Text 1: Purport]

Çréla Prabhupäda writes in the Purport to Text 1 of Nectar of Instruction:

(1) One should take prasäda at scheduled times and (2) should not eat in restaurants or sweetmeat shops simply to satisfy the whims of the tongue or belly. (3) If one accepts prasäda only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu taught us to avoid very palatable dishes even while eating prasäda. (4) If we offer palatable dishes to the Deity with the intention of eating such nice food, we are involved in trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. (5) If we accept the invitation of a rich man with the idea of receiving palatable food, we are also trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue.

Regarding the attitude for taking prasada, if you think it is something palatable, so let me take more and more, then that is sense gratification. But, still it is prasadam so it will act. Prasad is transcendental, but one should not take too much. [Letter to: Vedavyasa, Detroit, August 4, 1975]