The food combining diet is based on the principle of separating specific foods and eating them at certain meals for good metabolism and proper digestion. This diet has stirred up a lot of disputes among dieticians. Is it really beneficial to health?
Main principles of food combining
Different foods require different digestive conditions. Digestion of food depends on the nutrients in it. Products rich in protein require acidic enzymes for their digestion, while those rich in carbohydrates require alkaline enzymes. When acids and alkalis mix in the stomach, they neutralize each other, therefore, worsen and retard digestion. So, when you eat protein and carbohydrate foods together, some of these nutrients will not be fully assimilated and partly digested food gets into the intestine. As a result, undigested remains deposit as fat and can cause indigestion and some diseases. The food combining diet is supposed to resolve the problem.
History
Dr. Herbert M. Shelton is considered to be the founder of the food combining theory. He expounded the key principles of food combining in his works titled Natural Hygiene or Orthopathy and Food Combining Made Easy. He divided foods into three categories: products rich in protein, products rich in carbohydrate and so-called “neutral” products.
Dr. Shelton’s basic rules of proper food combining include:
- Eat protein foods and carbohydrate foods at separate meals. They go through different digestive processes.
- Eat acids and starches at separate meals. Acids neutralize the alkaline medium required for digestion of starches.
- Eat fats and proteins at separate meals. Some foods rich in fat (over 50%) require hours for digestion.
- Eat fruits and proteins at separate meals.
Another principle of food combining was suggested by Dr. Stanley S. Bass in Sequential eating and food combining. According to this book, a simple rearrangement of the sequence of foods can improve person's health. Foods that are digested quickly - for example, fruit - leave the stomach within thirty minutes. If you eat a fruit after a meal, the fruit cannot be digested unless the meal is digested completely. Digesting the meal can take about six or even eight hours. While waiting, the fruit causes the process of fermentation, producing gas and acid. Therefore, Dr. Bass concluded: the most watery food must be eaten first.
Criticism
Opponents of the food combining diet point out that almost all foods are combinations of protein, carbohydrates and fat. It is not always easy to classify them strictly into three categories. Besides, the human digestive system is adapted to mixed nutrition and easily copes with different types of food at the same time.
Also, the claim that the food combining diet helps to lose weight raises a doubt. Opponents believe that those people who prefer this type of diet lose extra pounds because they simply eat fewer calories.
The bottom line
The idea of food combining was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century and is causing disputes among scientists till the present time.
On the one hand, the food combining diet allows eating a variety of foods so you will get the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fat), vitamins and minerals required for good health. It encourages a person to eat more raw fruits and vegetables and less processed foods and added sugars. This principle is also supported by Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend eating at least five servings of fruits a day.
On the other hand, there is not enough evidence on digestion and weight loss benefits of the diet. In addition, the food combining diet requires willpower. Following the food combining diet, you have to eat fish separately from potato or rice. It is not easy to get used to this.
References
Dr. Stanley S. Bass. Sequential eating and food combining.
Dr. Stanley S. Bass. Primitive Man - His Food and His Health.
Dr. Herbert M. Shelton. Orthopathy.
Herbert M. Shelton. Food Combining Made Easy. (Paperback - June 1940)
Internet Health Library. "Food Combining"
About.Com. "Food Combining"
United States Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
i'm not a doctor
i've been eating the carbs and proteins seperate about 50% of the time.. i've noticed some good things. i've lost weight and have started eating better. the diet makes sense and as soon as i move outta my mommas house and have to cook for myself i'm for sure going to 100%.
Food Combining Diet: Pros
Personally, i notice i digest foods more quickly and efficiently when using this method; people underestimate the importance of proper food combination...i used to have bad gas and constipation before i found this out as well...but not anymore.
COMBATS AUTO-TOXICITY
I've suffered with gas, bloating, profound depression, insomnia, and poor concentration for over two years. My doctor said I had to expect these things AT 60! A week ago I started observing the rules of food combining; chewing every bite until completely pulverized; and taking HCl and digestive enzymes. Within 24 hours I felt much better, and MY HUMOR, HOPE, AND CHUTZPAH HAVE BEEN RESTORED!!! Check out Brenda Watson.
let me say a few words...
this works. i have pretty poor metabolism and i used to have constant constipation. i started this separate food plan about 2 months ago and have lost 10 lbs. without exercising. pretty impressing because i have never lost this much, this easy, this healthy. constipation is gone!! ha-ha :)) and i feel great. i'm sticking to this my whole life, i'm sure. it might be hard to get used to it the first week (and i do not have long-term will power!), but if you ease in on it slowly, chances are you'll never go back. i'm 20 yr. old healthy female, 5'6" 120 lbs and planning to stay this way. this is NOT a diet, it's a life-style. thank you.
It works for us
My wife and I have been doing food combining for a couple of months. We are around 50, and have lost around 13 lb. each. I don't know if the combining is the trick, or if it is simply that we eat more fruits and veggies, and less fat. One cannot separate the two.
But we look better, have more energy, my BP is normal after years of borderline high, and I eat until I am satisfied. Yes, we give up desserts, most bread, all sandwiches, that kind of thing. But we can still eat well. I travel a great deal and find sticking to the guidelines reasonably easy.
For me, having a structure within which to work makes all the difference in the world.
And on special occasions, we cheat a bit. That makes it easier to stick to the rules the rest of the time. Well, that plus the good results.
Food Combining Diet: Pros
Hi everyone.I give a 2 thumbs up to this way of life since I got started 6 years now and Iwont give it up ever.But I´m still learning about how to fit my best all kind of food.The bottom line is about pulses and soy derivated as tofu and yoghourt...As far as I can know they are a high source of protein but in the group of starches or carbs.Am I doing ok if I eat tofu and peas or lentils and rice.Besides some veggies ,as I mentined before peas, or green beans;roots like beet or turnip;pumpkin and carrots,how are they considered and consequently where should I fit them in,since I´ve got a lot of guides and none comes up with this.Well,thanks for listening to me and I hope you could help me out.And now off the record I totally encourage everyone to tackle this fabolous way of eating.Greetings.
my weight loss
i went on this diet and i lost 552 pounds!!! at one point i was weighing 713 pounds. I tried so many other diets and they just didnt do anything. When i tried this one it was fantastic. So if u are looking to lose weight i highly recommend this diet.
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