As college students, we sometimes don’t realize how much better we could be eating. I don’t just mean this in the “healthy” or “organic” way, I mean this in the food combining way. It is a concept not many have heard of, and even less practice because quite honestly, it is hard. However, it is immensely rewarding and the benefits are worth the effort. Food combining is an old way of eating for optimal digestion and assimilation of nutrients. All this really means is by combining the right foods together, your body gets what it needs without getting an upset stomach. If you have digestive issues or are just interested in trying a different way of eating, this blog is for you.
In the American food culture, we have been taught to eat a “balanced diet.” However, this sometimes is taken literally as a “balanced meal.” We throw every kind of food on a single plate and have it with a big glass of milk, thinking we are getting all the different types of nutrients our body needs. This whole concept is wrong from a completely scientifically standpoint. You do not need to fit protein and starch and fat and sugars and dairy all in one meal. In fact, you shouldn’t. So, here are six food combining rules for optimal digestion.
1. Fruit First
-Fruit digests best alone
-Has the fastest exit rate of the stomach (so eat first or alone)
-To fix: eat as a snack
2. Protein and Starches do NOT mix
-One of the worst food combinations
-Human body requires an acid base to digest proteins and an alkaline base to digest starches –> lengthen time of digestion –> cause fermentation –> bloating and indigestion
-Starches can be consumed on own, or with other veggies
-To fix: eat proteins with non-starchy veggies and leafy greens
3. Melons Go Alone
-A type of fruit so should be eaten alone
-BUT melons also digest completely different than other fruits
-To fix: eat alone and on an empty stomach
4. Leafy Greens Abound
-Loaded with amino acids (building blocks of protein)
-Essential minerals
-Nutrients (B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and more)
-Fiber
-Combine well with foods –> should make a regular appearance on plate
-To Fix: a salad is a great addition to every meal and the enzymes will help you digest smoothly
5. Fat Rules
-Fats and oils combine well with everything except fruit
-Should be used in limited amounts because high calorie count –> slow down digestion
-To fix: save your hearty meal (with fat) for early dinner or let your body digest this meal for 4 to 5 hours before eating again
6. Time Lengths-Food digests at different rates
-Wait until previous food has exited body before eating again
-To fix:
1. Wait two hours after eating fruit2. Wait three hours after eating starches3. Wait four hours after eating protein
I know it is a lot to remember so here is a chart that will help with the rules! Happy combining :)
Xo,
JS