I get asked this question all the time: do I follow food combining “rules” and are they important? It’s a popular topic, but what really works and what takes food combining a little too far are two different things.
There are some “experts” out there who tell people that their digestive issues are due to poor food combining. More often than not, the digestion is compromised due to limited release of HCL, enzymes, bile, poor gut flora, gut inflammation and other issues that are regularly misdiagnosed.
I’ve heard many people in the raw world say that they can’t eat certain foods (that are healthy) anymore because they’re bodies reject them. When this happens they turn to more mono-type eating, eating one food at a time, mainly fruit. While mono-meals can be extremely beneficial *short term* to heal a specific condition, limiting your nutrient pool on a long term basis is dangerous.
In reality, limiting our foods to such a degree over the long term causes the digestion to get weaker as the nutrient pool is becoming more shallow. Eating plant based, high raw, whole foods is typically all you need to concern yourself with. I personally don’t really ever think about food combining. The most I really think about it is if I am eating a cooked vegan meal with a cooked starch like brown rice or quinoa, I generally won’t eat fruit for dessert because it takes longer for the cooked starch to exit than my typical raw food meals, and the fruit will ferment if eaten prior to digestion of the cooked food.
It is more relevant to think of food “combining” more along the lines of maximum nutritional benefit and absorption, and synergies between the foods (food alchemy), unless you have serious digestion issues. When you eat clean, high raw and vegan, and your intestinal flora is healthy and vibrant, and stay well hydrated, it is unlikely that you will have a digestive disturbance.
People who benefit the most from adhering closely to food combining rules:
~ People who eat animal proteins. Animal proteins are so tough for the body to digest, that it is always a really bad idea to combine an animal food with a cooked starch. So, the classic “meat and potatoes” is one of the worst combos you could subject your poor digestive system to.
~ People who have not balanced their intestinal flora, or who are on any prescription of any kind, are more likely to suffer from the “I can’t eat that”, “this doesn’t agree with me”.
~ People who have had eating disorders and have damaged their digestive systems, usually need to be mindful of the combinations they eat. This is particularly true for people who have had extreme restrictive diets where they adhere 100% to a specified eating plan, also known as orthorexia.
THE BASIC RULES OF FOOD COMBINING:
1. Do not eat proteins and starches together. Your body requires an acid base to digest proteins and an alkaline base to digest starches. Proteins and starches combine well with green, leafy vegetables and non-starchy vegetables.
2. Generally fruits should be eaten alone or with other fruits. It is beneficial for to eat a handful of nuts (80% fruit, 20% nuts) with sweet fruits.
3. Melons digest faster than any other food. Therefore, it’s generally best to eat melons by themselves.
4. If you have gas and bloating issues, it is a good idea to not mix acid and/or sub-acid fruits with sweet fruits at the same meal. Acid fruits, such as grapefruits, pineapple, and strawberries, can be mixed with sub-acid fruits, such as apples, grapes, and peaches, but neither of these categories can be mixed with sweet fruits, such as bananas, dates, or raisins.
5. Raw fats combine with everything. Processed fats and fats that are dairy based will inhibit digestion and should only be eaten with vegetables.
