‘If you are not mindful…’: Shubhanshu Shukla demonstrates how astronauts eat food in space, video goes viral

He further explained that digestion itself is not dependent on gravity. “Other interesting fact is that 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 appétit,” he said.

In the Reel, Shukla demonstrates how food and drinks are managed aboard the ISS. He explained that everything is secured with Velcro to prevent it from floating away. He also shows how liquids behave in microgravity, sipping coffee as droplets drift around him. At one point, he laughs and says, “You can eat water in space.”

Watch here:

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A post shared by Shubhanshu Shukla (@gagan.shux)

The video fascinated several social media users, amassing a flurry of reactions. “Haha, so cool!! So do the drinks / food once just eaten tend to come back up in the mouth? In simple words.. is digestion a normal process in space?” a user asked.

“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,” another user commented.

“Coolest thing I saw on the internet today,” a third user reacted.

Shukla landed in India on August 17 after his historic visit to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Axiom 4 mission.