Shubhanshu Shukla explains how astronauts consume food in zero gravity aboard ISS: 'You can eat water'

Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS) and the second from the country to travel into space, shared an insight into daily routines in zero gravity, explaining how he had to relearn something as basic as eating.

Posting a video from his time on the ISS, Shukla wrote, “Food in space. Never thought I would have to learn to eat again. Here I am explaining why habits matter when you are eating in space. If you are not mindful you can easily create a mess and you don’t want to be that guy. Solid mantra that works for anything in space ‘Slow is Fast’.”

In his explanation, Shukla noted that digestion does not rely on gravity. He wrote, “Other interesting fact is we don’t need gravity to digest food. A process called ‘peristalsis’ is responsible for digestion which is gravity independent. It is the contraction and relaxation of muscles to push food down through the digestive tract. Head up or head down, gravity or no gravity your body will always digest food. Bon appetit.”

In the accompanying video, the astronaut demonstrated how food and drink are handled in microgravity. He pointed out that all items were secured with Velcro to stop them from floating away. While sipping coffee, he joked, “You can eat water in space.”

The video was met with wide interest on social media. One comment read, “Wow, Shubhanshu! It's incredible to see you master the art of dining in zero-G. From test pilot to a space pro, you've shown us that with the right mindset, even the most mundane tasks become a scientific adventure. Your insights are as inspiring as your journey! We're all rooting for you.”