Secrets of Food Combining
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
food enters the body, it undergoes several changes before it is broken down
into its constituent parts and assimilated. But no food can be assimilated by
the system and used by various organs unless it has first been digested and
then absorbed in the digestive system known as alimentary canal, 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. The juices
alternate between alkalies and acids, and their character is determined by the
requirement of the enzymes they contain. These enzymes remain active in
suitable media of well defined acid-alkaline ranges and are destroyed in
unsuitable media. For instance, the salivary amylase (ptyalin) or
starch-splitting enzyme of the mouth is active only in an alkaline media and is
destroyed by a mild acid. The gastric enzyme, pepsin, which initiates 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 to the character of the food eaten.
There are, however, severe limitations
in this process. It is possible to suit the juices to a particular food,
however, complex it may be, but not to a variety of foods taken together. It is
the combining of many varieties and incompatible foods at a meal that causes 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 foods comprising
a meal are of the same type. This generally means eating similar foods at one
time in order to accomplish the most complete digestion. The most important
rule for combining foods is to avoid mixing protein and carbohydrate concentrated
foods. Although every food contains some protein, those regarded as protein concentrated
foods demand the longest digestive time. They are held in the stomach for some hours
until the gastric juices have performed its task. This may vary from
two-and-a-half to six hours, depending upon the complexity of the protein in
the food. If a protein food is mixed with starch-concentrated or
sugar-concentrated foods, it will usually result in fermentation. This may lead
to indigestion and gas in the stomach. Animal-food proteins, such as meats,
fish and cheese, require very high concentration of hydrochloric acid. Their
gastric digestion will be greatly inhibited by carbohydrate fermentation in the
stomach. This will produce more gas and increased discomfort. Eating meat,
potatoes, bread and sweets should, therefore, be especially avoided. Protein
foods are best digested when eaten with fresh vegetable salad. Primary protein
foods such as nuts, seeds and soybeans 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 C which aids protein
digestion.
The second important rule for food combining is to avoid mixing
proteins and fats at the same meal. Fat in foods inhibits the secretion of
gastric juice through the small wall. Thus when fat-concentrated foods are taken with protein foods,
gastric catabolism will decrease by the degree of liquid concentration in the
stomach. Fat will remain undigested in the stomach until gastric juices
complete their work on the complex protein molecule. Although all primary
protein foods contain high concentration of fat, such lipids will be held in suspension,
awaiting catabolism in the intestine, without impeding gastric action. Free
fats like oil, butter, and milk tend to coat the gastric mucosa, thereby
inhibiting its effort to secrete gastric juice. Fat surrounding fried foods is
also regarded as free fat and it interferes with gastric catabolism. Another
important rule for food combining is to avoid mixing carbohydrates and acid
fruits in the same meal. The starch-splitting enzyme ptyalin in the saliva
plays an important role as the food is chewed. It converts the complex starch
molecules into simpler sugars. Ptyalin requires a neutral or slightly alkaline
medium for proper functioning and this is the normal condition of the saliva 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. Thus tomatoes 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 acidifying of the saliva by sucrose is one of the
main causes of tooth decay. It can also cause severe damage to the digestion. Food
combining is designed to facilitate easier digestion. The chart in Table I , represents
diagrammatically food combining rules in an easy-to-follow method. Accompanying
this chart are the lists of food in their correct classification. In a
nutshell, starches, fats, green vegetables and sugars may be eaten together as
they require either an alkaline or neutral medium for their digestion.
Similarly, proteins, green vegetables and acid 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 eaten together
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 they consist of, the better it will be. They should approximate to a
one-course meal as much as possible. 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 seven hours before the stomach is emptied. If
carbohydrates are eaten without proteins, they remain in the stomach for a
relatively short period. A fruit meal remains in the stomach for even shorter time.
It is advisable to eat these different foods at different meals - a fruit meal,
a starch meal and a protein meal. The ideal practice is a fruit meal for breakfast,
a starch meal with salad and non- starchy vegetables for lunch, and a protein
meal with a salad and non-starchy vegetables for dinner.
Table I
Food Combining Chart
Food Groups
|
Proteins
|
Fats
|
Starches
|
Vegetables
|
Sweet Fruits
|
Sub-acid Fruits
|
Acid Fruits
|
Proteins
|
Good
|
Poor
|
Poor
|
Good
|
Poor
|
Fair
|
Good
|
Fats
|
Poor
|
Good
|
Fair
|
Good
|
Fair
|
Fair
|
Fair
|
Starches
|
Poor
|
|
Good
|
Good
|
Fair
|
Fair
|
Poor
|
Vegetables
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
Poor
|
Poor
|
Poor
|
Sweet Fruits
|
Poor
|
|
Fair
|
Poor
|
Good
|
Good
|
Poor
|
Sub-acid Fruits
|
Fair
|
|
Fair
|
Poor
|
Good
|
Good
|
Good
|
Acid Fruits
|
Good
|
|
Poor
|
Poor
|
Poor
|
Good
|
Good
|
Proteins - Nuts, seeds, soybeans, 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, broccoli, 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.
* Not recommended for good nutrition.
Source: www.healthlibrary.com through
www.scribd.com
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