Food Combining

WHAT is Food Combining?

Food combining is the practice of separating certain macronutrients and food groups to assist with digestion, absorption and  inflammation reduction.  It is well known within the healing arts, that eating the ‘wrong combination’ of foods creates a build-up of disease causing toxins and an increase in digestive stress.  My personal belief, accordingly with my fellow teacher/healers,  that the three macro-nutrients-- proteins, fats, and carbs—take different times to digest and uniquely affect the pH level in the stomach, so these should not be eaten together.  This novel eating pattern is similar to an Ayurvedic dies, which proports that combining raw and cooked foods together can slow down you digestive processes and negatively impact your health.

The RULES of Food Combining:

Food Combining classifies foods as acidic, alkaline, or neutral.  For example, meat, cheese, seafood, chicken and other proteins are classified as acidic; while breads, pastas, and rice (as an example) as alkaline.  The following are Guidelines for following a Food Combining Diet:

Eat FRUIT on a Empty Stomach:

Starting the day with just fruits floods the intestines with sugar in the form of fructose. Someone who as IBS; Intestinal surgeries may find a side effect of diarrhea. These conditions signal to proceed with caution. Fruit FIRST for most participants can cause a blood sugar spike in the morning,  but leads to a sugar stabilizing later on in the day.

GRAINS and VEGETABLES- Eat TWO-Gether:

Grains and veggies are great sources of fiber.  Pairing your fiber-containing grains and veggies with a protein slow down the digestive processes, keeping you full longer and reducing the impulse to ‘snack’ before your next meal.

STARCH and PROTEIN together? A great GO!

Just like grains and veggies,  eating starches with proteins slows your digestive process, eliminating your blood sugar roller coaster. Eating starches and proteins will also delay your digestion, keeps you filling full longer, and reduces you need to overeat.

NEUTRAL FOODS? Eat in ANY Combination:

Neutral foods include: eggs, chocolate, lemons, and oils. Eggs are an alkaline good. Lemons, however seeming an acidic food actually produces alkalinity.

Refined SUGAR and ALCOHOL?  A NO!

Also include processed foods and any food containing fat and sugar.  Can you NEVER have a donut or cocktail again? Not exactly, but know that you need to  ‘course correct’ the next day to alkalinity. A caveat or alcohol: Wine and Beer are best consumed with starches or cooked vegetables. Drinking on an empty stomach is a real ‘no no’.  That’s why chips and a beer together makes celebration sense.

BOTOM-LINE:

In GENERAL, Food Combining is an art.  Give yourself some time to integrate this into your foundational healthy living. I’m always in favor of eating pattern that promote eating fresh, organic, whole foods.

Here’s the QUICK ‘CHEATERS’ COMBO GUIDE:

*Veggies; Proteins; Grains=OK

*Oils, Nuts, Avocados=OK

*FRUITS=ALONE