10 Common Food Combinations That Wreak Havoc on Your Health
Food
combining is a health-conscious approach to eating, where foods that
require different digestive environments are eaten separately. Various
food combination theories have somewhat controversial views, however,
there are some points that they agree on.
I chose 10 food combinations that are considered bad by Ayurveda,
modern hygenists, and physiologists. Basically, no one in there right
mind would ever think of eating these foods together if they knew what
would happen in our digestive system. Some of the immediate consequences
of bad food combinations are digestive un-ease, gas, bloating, stomach
ache, nausea, fatigue, and problems with elimination. While short-term
effects can clear up within a day or two, long-term food combining can
lead to more severe problems like bad breath, dry skin, rashes, chronic
inflammation, poor sleep, low energy, and chronic digestion issues. Most
people feel a surge of energy and naturally lose weight once they start
following several simple food combining rules.
Here
are some popular items on the average American menu that present a big
challenge to our body and can wreak havoc on your health:
1. Fruit after a meal. Natural
Hygienists have known for a long time that fruit doesn’t combine well
with other foods. The reason is that fruit contains simple sugars that
require no digestion. Thus, they will not stay for a long time in the
stomach. Other foods, such as foods rich in fat, protein and starch,
will stay in the stomach for a longer period of time because they
require more digestion. So if you eat fruit after a meal, the fruit
sugar will stay for too long in the stomach and ferment.
2. Lasagna or Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Protein-starch
combos inhibit salivary digestion of starch. Protein and starches need
different enzymes and different levels of acidity to be digested. When
eaten together, your body is forced to make a choice to digest protein
but not starches. According to Dr Herbert Shelton, the champion of
original Natural hygiene ideas, undigested starchy food undergoes
fermentation and decomposition and overtime leads to poisonous
end-products. Supposedly, adding greens to hard-to-digest cheesy dishes
makes them easier for the stomach. Arugula salad, please!
3. Cheese and meat omelet. In
general protein/protein combinations are not recommended. One single
concentrated protein per meal is easier to digest and won’t require as
much energy. Go for veggie omelet instead.
4. Tomato and cheese pasta sauce.
Tomatoes are considered acidic and are not advised to be mixed with
starchy carbs such as pasta. Food combining theory recommends to avoid
mixing carbohydrates with acids. Adding dairy to this already difficult
combo turns it into a recipe for digestive problems and after-meal
fatigue since your body will require a ton of energy to digest this
meal. Have pasta with pesto and grilled veggies instead!
5. Cereal or oatmeal with milk and orange juice. Acids
in orange juice or any acid fruits destroy the enzyme that is
responsible for digesting starches present in cereal. Also, acidic
fruits or juices can curdle milk and turn it into a heavy mucus-forming
substance. To keep your breakfast healthy, try having fruit or orange
juice 30 min before the oatmeal.
6. Beans and cheese. Dairy
protein and beans is a common combo in any Mexican restaurant. Eaten
with a hearty serving of guacamole and hot sauce, it is almost
guaranteed to lead to gas and bloating. It is not the beans on their own
that cause it, but the combination as a whole. Try skipping cheese and
tomatoes if you have a weak digestion or working on detoxifying your
body.
7. Melon and Prosciutto. Melons
should be eaten alone or left alone. The same rule goes for all high
sugar fruits. In general, it is preferred to eat fruits separately from
proteins or starches, especially if you are looking for a quick energy
boost from a fruit.
8. Bananas and milk.
Ayurveda lists this combination as one of the heaviest and
toxin-forming. It is said to create heaviness in the body and slow down
the mind. If you are a fan of milk-based banana smoothies make sure that
banana is very ripe and add cardamom and nutmeg to stimulate
digestion.
9. Yogurt with fruit.
Ayurveda and food combining theory, don’t advise mixing any sour fruits
with dairy as it can diminish digestive fire, change the intestinal
flora, produce toxins and cause sinus congestion, cold, cough and
allergies. Ayurveda suggests avoiding congestive and digestive fire
dampening foods like cold yogurt mixed with fruits. However, if you
can’t resist the temptation of a yogurt parfait, there are ways to make
it more digestion friendly. First of all, go for a room temperature
natural unflavored yogurt. Secondly, mix a little bit of honey,
cinnamon, and raisins instead of sour berries.
10. Lemon Dressing on Cucumber and Tomato Salad -
Nightshades such as potatoes, chillies, eggplant, and tomatoes are not
supposed to be combined with cucumbers. While lemon does not go well
with either.
Of course, everyone has a
different body and will experience various levels of sensitivity to bad
food combinations. Many people attribute digestive problems and
allergies to particular foods while in reality it is the combination of
foods that is to blame. Also, many of us are so used to digestive
discomfort that we don't know what it feels like not to experience it.
Everything becomes clear in comparison. If you follow simple food
combination rules
for 2 weeks and let your digestive system rest, your digestion will be a
lot more efficient and stronger before the holidays. Cravings will
subside, there will be more energy, and a flatter belly.
Have you or anyone that you know tried following food combining? How did it work out for you?
