Food Combining
Help Aid Digestion by Combining your Food Properly
If you suffer from digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation the thought of eating can be daunting. Many people equate eating with pain and suffering. There are many possible reasons why a digestive system could be compromised; it is worthwhile to consult a health care professional to identify the problem. Digestive disorders such as IBS, Chron's Disease and Celiac Disease should be identified and dealt with promptly.
For many, however, digestive issues are not serious yet. They are a result of lifestyle and food choices. In North America we tend to eat on the run, we are stressed and we make poor food choices. We stress the digestive system with fast food, refined foods and by combining too many different types of foods.
Proper food combining can alleviate digestive issues for many people. The principle lies in proper and complete assimilation of the foods we consume. By only consuming certain foods at the same time we do not stress the digestive system. Different foods require different enzymes to be broken down. When we wolf down an enchilada we are asking the gut to do a lot of work because it contains starch, protein and fat. For many the digestive system has been compromised for so long that meals like this are just too much and they do not get broken down properly. They are passed through the system undigested and this leads to future conditions such as food allergies.
Principles of Food Combining
There are a few variations on food combining. This is a simple version to get started with.
Green and Non-Starchy Vegetables can be combined with protein or starch or fat. This includes leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, celery, cucumber, onion, garlic, green beans, peas, seaweed and fresh corn.
Protein can be combined with green and non-starchy vegetables only. This includes beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, cheese, yogurt, eggs, fish, meat and fowl.
Starches can be combined with green and non-starchy vegetables and fats and oils. This includes grains, bread, pasta, potato, sweet potato, beet, parsnip, carrot and squash.
Fats and Oils can be combined with green and non-starchy vegetables, starches and acid fruits. This includes avocado, olives, butter, cream and oils.
As a general rule fruit should be consumed on its own. It digests very quickly. Melons, especially, should be consumed away from all other foods.
Acid Fruits can be combined with fats and oils and subacid fruits. This includes lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, tomato, strawberry, pineapple and kiwi.
Subacid fruits can be combined with acid fruit or sweet fruit. This includes apple, berries, pear, apricot, peach, grapes, plum, cherry, mango and papaya.
Sweet fruit can be combined with subacid fruit. This includes fig, banana, dates and dried fruit.
A simple way to start food combining is to separate proteins and starches in your meals. This may be enough to alleviate digestive issues. It is always recommended to increase you intake of vegetables so try filling your plate with seasonal vegetables and either a protein or a starch.
Reference - Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford
Baskets full of vegetables
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