Food Combinations 101 –

 

“To the doubter I say only: Give it trial and convince yourself. It has truly been said that condemnation without investigation is a bar to all knowledge. Do not cut yourself off from further knowledge and from better health by condemning, without a fair test.” – Herbert Shelton, from Food Combining Made Easy

 

Are you wanting to eat healthier, lose excess weight and experience a greater amount of extra energy? Is improved digestion and skin something you desire?

 

One of the quickest and most enjoyable ways to get this started is to simply replace what you are already eating with higher quality foods and consuming them in proper combinations in addition to salads and fresh vegetable juices.

 

Here is what I mean by higher quality foods…The highest quality food for any particular type of food that is possible. It is easier for the body to  digest and recognize food, the higher the quality it is. When the human body can easily identify a food, it quickly takes what it needs from the food (the nourishment) and then eliminates the roughage and fiber that does not provide nourishment to the body. It is MUCH harder for the body to digest a food that is not of a high quality and is processed and full of synthetic material. When it is so difficult to breakdown and digest, the food will then sit in the stomach, causing fermentation and leaving acidic residue and gluey waste in your cells. We want to avoid this! Here are some specific examples of how you can adjust to high-quality foods from low-quality:

 

Grain and Grain products –

 

As I recommend staying away from white flour, the sprouted grain products are a great way to start transitioning. Alvarado St. Bakery and Ezekiel make a great brand of sliced bread, sourdough baguettes, and bagels! I even used the baguettes to make large pesto and grilled veggie sandwiches for my husband’s birthday bash one year and they were a hit! I have also found sprouted corn tortillas for tacos, tostadas, mini burritos…etc.

 

If you love your pastas, some great gluten-free and very friendly options for the body are Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat, Amaranth and Teff. For someone who is dealing with IBS, celiac’s, candida or other digestive disorders, these would be better to start with, but for others, Spelt and Kamut would also be a good way to transition.

 

FLESH FOODS –

 

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of consuming meat that is grass-fed, hormone-free and organic! Whether it is fish, chicken and their eggs, beef, or any other type of meat, the reason for this is that  animals are injected with a lot of antibiotics (which kill ALL of the bacteria in a body, good and bad) and hormones. Once it becomes part of the animal, it becomes part of you once it is consumed. These hormones and antibiotics contribute particularly to the overgrowth of yeast and fungal issues that are most common in women.  When out to eat, or when budget is an issue, do your best with what you have, but keep in mind the quality of the flesh you are eating. Enjoy your meal, just don’t over do it. I used to scoff at the idea of organic meat and the whole grass fed stuff...I thought it was just a money sucking ploy to be honest. After more research and investigation...I get it and it is so extremely important to me now that the meat I purchase and prepare is of the highest quality.

 

DAIRY – When it comes to dairy, the best options are sheep and goat as they do not have casein and the best option is raw…whether it’s the cheeses or the milk, cream, butter; etc. Sheep and goat dairy products have a different kind of protein that is much easier for the body to digest, and especially when it is in the form of raw cheese or dairy, provides its own enzymes and good bacteria, making it even cleaner and easier to breakdown.  Other than pasteurized cow’s milk that contains catarrh, (the mucous-causing  material) and where the enzymes have been destroyed and the protein molecule is so much harder to digest.  “Goat's milk casein is more similar to human milk.” Here is an article I found on this:

 

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032400.asp

 

For more on Sheep dairy, check this one out!

 

http://www.matatokicheese.co.nz/sheep-milk.html

 

For anyone wanting to even replace dairy in general, Hemp, Coconut and other Nut milks are a great way to transition! Especially for children who enjoy milk in their cereal for example. But keep in mind…Avoid Soy milk! It is one of the greatest mucous forming foods on this earth!

 

 

Now onto the Food Combinations!!!

 

Yes! There is a way to combine your foods for optimal digestion and assimilation! Without a focus on restrictions or counting calories, carbohydrates and the like, you can and will enjoy the bounty, succulence and indulgence of the foods this earth provides and that YOU enjoy, while experiencing more digestive relief and comfort. This can all be done as a slow transition so that you enjoy the entire process.

 

 

When I first learned about food combining, it was a new concept for me. I grew up making chicken noodle casseroles with cream sauces, eating fruit pies, and meat lovers pizza, (at least an entire medium pizza for myself!)

 

Here are the main four food groups that you want to never combine together in the same meal and where there are only a few exceptions:

 

 

Starches – Grains, Yams, sweet potatoes, rice, avocados, breads, pastas, potatoes, high starch veggies such as acorn squash

 

Flesh – eggs, dairy, animal flesh, fish

 

Nuts/seeds/dried fruit – dried coconut, dates, figs, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, walnuts; etc

 

Fruit – apples, berries, bananas, melons, oranges, tangerines, apricots, mangos; etc.

 

Fruit – Fruit should always be eaten alone and on an empty stomach! Certain types of fruit combine best with other types of fruit, but for someone just starting out with this, just keeping your fruit separate from other foods is a great step. If you are having a fruit salad for breakfast for instance, have any melons first as these move the quickest through the stomach.  For those dealing with any sugar or candida issues, the low sugar fruits are ideal…green apples, currants, and berries. Wait at least 30 minutes after consuming fruit before introducing a new food type into the stomach and at least 1 hour if your fruit meal has been a large one.

 

The reason for this?

 

It only takes about 20-30 minutes for fruit to leave the stomach. During that time, if another food type is introduced, the enzymes will collide and create fermentation, gas and putrefaction.

 

Exceptions to this:

 

Bananas can combine with Nuts/seeds/and dried fruit and with avocados.

 

Avocados – technically a fruit but combine beautifully with starches (avocado sandwiches!), but don’t combine with nuts/seeds/dried fruits.

 

RAW VEGETABLES – Combine with anything except fruit

 

COOKED NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES – ( zuccini and yellow squashes, asparagus, carrots, onions; etc.) – Combine with all starch and protein foods.

 

Why is eating animal protein and starches together in the same meal  the most offensive mis-combination? Here is why:

 

Your body uses an alkaline medium (for the starch) and an acid enzyme (for the protein) to facilitate digestion.  When both a starch and a protein are present in the stomach at the same time, the alkaline medium and the acid enzyme neutralize each other and basically cancel each other out. This slows digestion down big time!   Enzymes are the catalyst for digestion which makes them critical. Without them, food will take much longer to digest.

A meal combined this way can sit in the stomach for 8-12 hours depending on the type of protein you have consumed! Red meat takes a lot longer whereas fish digests quite easily. Imagine the digestive strain and distress this causes on one’s system!


When it takes that long for food to digest, a lot of fermentation and gas fermentation occurs in the gut. These two things cause constipation which then causes a myriad of ailments including weight gain, skin break outs, headaches, bloating, backaches and a lot of others. So, if you want to eat a mis-combined meal knowing what you now know, aim to have it at dinner following a large raw vegetable salad. This will give you all night to allow the food to travel through the digestive tract before you eat again.  

 

So, with that said, check out my recipe section for some delicious ideas to indulge your flavors while keeping your tummy happy and calm.