Food Combining

Food Combining is a controversial topic and practice. Many people swear by it, while others find it frustrating. There is no disadvantage to the food combining diet – if it works  for you, use it, if not don’t.

Food combining is based on the theory that different food groups require different digestion times. Digestion of the food you consume is helped the most by using foods which have roughly the same digestion time, in other words, proper digestion takes place when the foods you eat complete it’s digestion cycle in your stomach at the same time.

Food combinations are important for proper digestion, utilization, and assimilation of the nutrients in our bodies. The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry. Different foods require different digestive enzymes to aid in the digestive process – some acid, some alkaline. When acids and alkaline come in contact, they neutralize each other and this may retard the digestion process. Protein foods require a highly acidic environment for digestion while carbohydrates (starches, fruit and sugars) and fats require a more alkaline medium. Anytime 2 or more foods are eaten at the same time, and those foods require opposite conditions for digestion, the digestive process may be compromised and may cause indigestion, bloating, gas, abdominal discomfort, and poor absorption of nutrients. Any quick digesting foods – such as fruit – must wait until the slowest digesting foods leave the stomach before they can leave – a process which can take up to 6 or 8 hours. While waiting, the fruit and some of the starches may undergo some decomposition and fermentation, producing gas, acid and even alcohol along with indigestion.

Eight Principles for Food Combining:

1. Eat starches and acids at separate meals. Acids neutralize the alkaline medium required for starch digestion and the result is indigestion and fermentation.
2. Eat carbohydrate foods and protein foods at separate meals. Protein foods require an acid medium for digestion.
3. Eat only one kind of protein food at a meal.
4. Eat proteins and acid foods at separate meals. The acids of acid foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion. Undigested proteins may putrefy in bacterial decomposition and produce some potent poisons.
5. Eat proteins and fats at separate meals. Some foods, especially nuts, are over 50% fat and require hours for digestion.
6. Eat proteins and sugars (fruits) at separate meals.
7. Eat starchy foods and sugars (fruits) at separate meals. Fruits undergo no digestion in the stomach and are held up if eaten with foods which require digestion in the stomach.
8. Eat melons alone. Melons combine with almost no other food.