The observance of rules of food combining is neither faddish nor eccentric. It is a simple, scientifically-based system of selecting foods, from among different types, which are compatible. This facilitates easy and efficient digestion and ensures after-meal comfort.
Digestion is not merely chemical or physical process, but also a physiological one. When foodenters the body, it undergoes several changes before it is broken down into its constituent partsand assimilated. But no food can be assimilated by the system and used by various organsunless it has first been digested and then absorbed in the digestive system known as alimentarycanal, while the residue, unfit for absorption is eliminated from the system.
The chemical part of digestion is accomplished by a series of juices and their enzymes. Thejuices alternate between alkalies and acids, and their character is determined by the requirementof the enzymes they contain. These enzymes remain active in suitable media of well definedacid-alkaline ranges and are destroyed in unsuitable media.For instance, the salivary amylase ( ptyalin ) or starch-splitting enzyme of the mouth is activeonly in an alkaline media and is destroyed by a mild acid. The gastric enzyme, pepsin, whichinitiates protein digestion, is active only in the acid medium and is destroyed by alkalies.
A noteworthy feature of the digestive secretions is that the body suits its fluid and enzymes tothe character of the food eaten. There are, however, severe limitations in this process. It ispossible to suit the juices to a particular food, however, complex it may be, but not to a variety offoods taken together. It is the combining of many varieties and incompatible foods at a meal thatcauses 90 per cent of digestive disorders.
There is a marked tendency to gastro-intestinal fermentation with certain combinations of foods.There is no fermentation and digestion will be much more satisfactory when the foodscomprising a meal are of the same type. This generally means eating similar foods at one time inorder to accomplish the most complete digestion.The most important rule for combining foods is to avoid mixing protein and carbohydrateconcentrated foods. Although every food contains some protein , those regarded as proteinconcentrated foods demand the longest digestive time. They are held in the stomach for somehours until the gastric juices has performed its task. This may vary from two-and-a-half to sixhours, depending upon the complexity of the protein in the food. If a protein food is mixed withstarch-concentrated or sugar-concentrated foods, it will usually result in fermentation. This maylead to indigestion and gas in the stomach.
Animal-food proteins, such as meats, fish and cheese, require very high concentration ofhydrochloric acid. Their gastric digestin will be greatly inhibited by carbohydrate fermentation inthe stomach. This will produce more gas and increased discomfort. Eating meat, potatoes, breadand sweets should, therefore, be especially avoided.
Protein foods are best digested when eaten with fresh vegetable salad. Primary protein foodssuch as nuts, seeds and soyabeans also combine very well with acid fruits like oranges,pineapples, grapefruit and lemons, and fairly well with sub-acid fruits, like grapes, pears, apples,berries, apricots and peaches. These vegetables and fruits are rich natural sources of vitamin Cwhich aids protein digestion.
The second important rule for food combining is to avoid mixing proteins and fats at the samemeal. Fat in foods inhibits the secretion of gastric juice through the small wall. Thus whenfat-concentrated foods are taken with protein foods, gastric catabolism will decrease
by thedegree of liquid concentration in the stomach. Fat will remain undigested in the stomach untilgastric juices complete their work on the complex protein molecule.Although all primary protein foods contain high concentration of fat, such lipids will be held insuspension, awaiting catabolism in the intestine , without impeding gastric action. Free fats likeoil, butter, and milk tend to coat the gastric mucoa, thereby inhibiting its effort to secrete gastricjuice. Fat surrounding fried foods is also regarded as free fat and it interferes with gastriccatabolism.
Another important rule for food combining is to avoid mixing carbohydrates and acid fruits in thesame meal. The starch-splitting enzyme ptyalin in the saliva plays an important role as the foodis chewed. It converts the complex starch molecules into simpler sugars. Ptyalin requires aneutral or slightly alkaline medium for proper functioning and this is the normal condition of thesaliva in the mouth. However, when acid foods are taken, the action of ptyalin is halted. It is,therefore, necessary to avoid acid fruits in the same meal as sweet fruits or starches. Thustomatoes should not be eaten with starches especially potatoes or bread.Refined sugar products are also acidic, both in the mouth and in the bloodstream. The acidifyingof the saliva by sucrose is one of the main causes of tooth decay. It can also cause severedamage to the digestion.
Food combining is designed to facilitate easier digestion. In a nutshell, starches, fats, green vegetables and sugars may be eaten together as they requireeither an alkaline or neutral medium for their digestion. Similarly, proteins, green vegetables andacid fruits may be eaten together as they require an acid or neutral medium for their digestion.
But starches and proteins, fats and proteins and starches and acid fruits should not be eatentogether as a general rule, if the best results are required from the ingestion of the food eaten.
This in brief is the whole basis for successful food combination.An important point to remember about meals is that the smaller the number of courses theyconsist of, the better it will be. They should approximate to a one-course meal as much aspossible. Simple meals in every way are more conducive to health, than more elaborate ones,no matter how well they may be combined.
A meal consisting of proteins,carbohydrates and fats may remain in the stomach for six to sevenhours before the stomach is emptied. If carbohydrates are eaten without proteins, they remain inthe stomach for a relatively short period. A fruit meal remains in the stomach for even shortertime. It is advisable to eat these different foods at different meals – a fruit meal, a starch mealand a protein meal. The ideal practice is a fruit meal for breakfast, a starch meal with salad andnon- starchy vegetables for lunch, and a protein meal with a salad and non-starchy vegetablesfor dinner.
Proteins: Nuts, seeds, soyabeans, cheese, eggs, poultry* meat*, fish*, yogurt.
Fats: Oils, olive, butter, margarine.
Starches: Whole cereals, peas, beans, lentils.
Vegetables: Leafy green vegetables, sprouted seeds, cabbage cauliflower, brocoli, green peas, celery, tomatoes, onions.
Sweet Fruits: Bananas, fits, custard apples, all-dried fruits, dates.
Sub-acid-fruits: Grapes, pears, apples, peaches, apricots, plums, fruits guavas, raspberries.
Acid fruits: Grapefruit, lemons, oranges, limes, pineapple, strawberries.
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