Health Tip:
Food Combining Lightens Up Digestion, Brings More Energy
Ever wondered why some meals make you feel slow, bloated and heavy, even if
you have not eaten a lot? The key could be in how you have combined your foods.
Some types of food actually inhibit the digestion of others, while others
stimulate breakdown of the companion foods. Here are some clues to how mixing
and matching foods properly:
1.Try to simplify meals-one or two food categories per meal would work best
for the digestion. For example, a peace of meat or fish is best taken with a
salad, not in a sandwich. If on the other hand, you go for a bagel, avoid foods
that are high in protein like tuna, and opt for some butter or jam.
2. Try to eat small quantities of food and chew properly so that the
digestive acids and enzymes can get to all the food particles.
3. Never eat fruit after meals, as it will start fermenting and producing gas
in the digestive system.
The rationale behind food combining lies in the design of the digestive tract
itself. While proteins are digested in the highly acidic environment of the
stomach, carbohydrates and fats are digested in the alkaline environment of the
small intestine. If you eat a meal of meat and potatoes, the protein (meat) and
the carbs (potatoes), will be mixed together, so the acid in the stomach won’t
be able to ‘get to’ the proteins and break them down properly (the carbs are
in the way). Some undigested protein will find its way into the small intestine
and interfere with the carbohydrate and fat digestion, closing this vicious
circle and leaving you with the feeling of heaviness. Eating fruit with or after
meals, keeps them ‘stuck’ with the rest of the food, long enough for the
fruit sugars to start fermenting. Fruit should be eaten before meals, or long
after digestion has been completed. Vegetables, (except the starchy ones), can
be eaten any time, and combined with all food groups. For best energy results,
try eating a breakfast with a substantial amount of protein in it (you won’t
get hungry for quite some time), and keep eating less and less towards the end
of the day.
