Nutritionist/Dietician Question: Fruit

thelgeson

I was reading that certain foods should not be combined together when eating meals because it hinders proper digestion. For example steak and potato should not be combined because one digests in an alkaline and the other in an acid for best digestion and you can't have both at the same time. This could be the culprit of those of us with IBS, gas, bloating, etc....

Also, regarding fruit, I read:

Fruit has special digestive requirements and should generally be
eaten alone. This is because fruit is very easy to digest and is meant to pass through the digestive
system quickly. If fruit does not pass through the digestive system quickly, such as when combined with
protein or starch, the fruit sugar can ferment in your stomach, often manifesting as bloating and gas.

I put fruit on a starch (oats) all the time. But I DO have a very loud digestive system.
Do you think this information has merit regarding combining your foods?

sarahliftsUP

I haven't had trouble digesting fruit with a protein source.. or other foods. Like you, I eat oatmeal with fruit, usually blueberries. I always have greek yogurt with fruit and use frozen fruit in my protein shakes.. soo Hmmm, not sure if this applies to everyone?

platoon

I've heard this a lot, although I cannot confirm it's accuracy (I'm not a nutritionist/dietician). But I will say this, even if it is true, I would consider the side effects a mild inconvenience.

My job provides free fruit daily... to me, it's better to snack on fruit (no matter what's already in your stomach) than chips, candy, and baked goods.

Good luck on your journey! :-)

Grokette

I was reading that certain foods should not be combined together when eating meals because it hinders proper digestion. For example steak and potato should not be combined because one digests in an alkaline and the other in an acid for best digestion and you can't have both at the same time. This could be the culprit of those of us with IBS, gas, bloating, etc....

Also, regarding fruit, I read:

Fruit has special digestive requirements and should generally be
eaten alone. This is because fruit is very easy to digest and is meant to pass through the digestive
system quickly. If fruit does not pass through the digestive system quickly, such as when combined with
protein or starch, the fruit sugar can ferment in your stomach, often manifesting as bloating and gas.

I put fruit on a starch (oats) all the time. But I DO have a very loud digestive system.
Do you think this information has merit regarding combining your foods?

These things are not true, they are myths.

The stomach is a very acidic environment. When you smell food that you are getting ready to eat, the stomach releases Hydrochloric Acid to prepare for digestion.

Also, you should ALWAYS eat fruit with a bit of protein to keep the blood sugar from rising too high too fast.

thelgeson

These things are not true, they are myths.

There are a LOT of articles found on this from several different sources.... so it seems that it would not be a myth but more of an "alternative medicine" or "scientologist" way? That's why the specific question to those educated in this field. Was looking for a purely educational studies answer.

stephijames

I was reading that certain foods should not be combined together when eating meals because it hinders proper digestion. For example steak and potato should not be combined because one digests in an alkaline and the other in an acid for best digestion and you can't have both at the same time. This could be the culprit of those of us with IBS, gas, bloating, etc....

Also, regarding fruit, I read:

Fruit has special digestive requirements and should generally be
eaten alone. This is because fruit is very easy to digest and is meant to pass through the digestive
system quickly. If fruit does not pass through the digestive system quickly, such as when combined with
protein or starch, the fruit sugar can ferment in your stomach, often manifesting as bloating and gas.

I put fruit on a starch (oats) all the time. But I DO have a very loud digestive system.
Do you think this information has merit regarding combining your foods?

These things are not true, they are myths.

The stomach is a very acidic environment. When you smell food that you are getting ready to eat, the stomach releases Hydrochloric Acid to prepare for digestion.

Also, you should ALWAYS eat fruit with a bit of protein to keep the blood sugar from rising too high too fast.

Hi ---- I just joined recently, so this is my first post But I have to say that proper food combining is NOT a myth.

1. Whenever you eat "flesh" protein food, the stomach sends up the acidic digesting enzyme pepsin, which initiates protein digestion.
2. Whenever you eat a starch food (concentrated carbohydrate), the stomach sends an alkaline medium to digest it.

So what happens when you eat the two together? The acid and alkaline substances neutralize each other so digestion is hindered, causing fermentation.

Regarding fruit, which requires only 20-30 minutes to pass through the stomach: if fruit is eaten with another food type, like cottage cheese, the fruit is held back because the cottage cheese needs at least 3 and up to 4 hours in the stomach to digest. The fruit will ferment with the cheese, which is what causes problems.

This probably doesn't completely answer your questions, but just wanted to let you know that there is truth to the research you have been finding out

Grokette

These things are not true, they are myths.

There are a LOT of articles found on this from several different sources.... so it seems that it would not be a myth but more of an "alternative medicine" or "scientologist" way? That's why the specific question to those educated in this field. Was looking for a purely educational studies answer.

I am educated in this field. I just took my board exam to become certified Today. I will find studies, what I quoted it text book.

Grokette

I was reading that certain foods should not be combined together when eating meals because it hinders proper digestion. For example steak and potato should not be combined because one digests in an alkaline and the other in an acid for best digestion and you can't have both at the same time. This could be the culprit of those of us with IBS, gas, bloating, etc....

Also, regarding fruit, I read:

Fruit has special digestive requirements and should generally be
eaten alone. This is because fruit is very easy to digest and is meant to pass through the digestive
system quickly. If fruit does not pass through the digestive system quickly, such as when combined with
protein or starch, the fruit sugar can ferment in your stomach, often manifesting as bloating and gas.

I put fruit on a starch (oats) all the time. But I DO have a very loud digestive system.
Do you think this information has merit regarding combining your foods?

These things are not true, they are myths.

The stomach is a very acidic environment. When you smell food that you are getting ready to eat, the stomach releases Hydrochloric Acid to prepare for digestion.

Also, you should ALWAYS eat fruit with a bit of protein to keep the blood sugar from rising too high too fast.

Hi ---- I just joined recently, so this is my first post But I have to say that proper food combining is NOT a myth.

1. Whenever you eat "flesh" protein food, the stomach sends up the acidic digesting enzyme pepsin, which initiates protein digestion.
2. Whenever you eat a starch food (concentrated carbohydrate), the stomach sends an alkaline medium to digest it.

So what happens when you eat the two together? The acid and alkaline substances neutralize each other so digestion is hindered, causing fermentation.

Regarding fruit, which requires only 20-30 minutes to pass through the stomach: if fruit is eaten with another food type, like cottage cheese, the fruit is held back because the cottage cheese needs at least 3 and up to 4 hours in the stomach to digest. The fruit will ferment with the cheese, which is what causes problems.

This probably doesn't completely answer your questions, but just wanted to let you know that there is truth to the research you have been finding out

I emailed this to one of my teachers I have had over the previous year and this is the response that I received from her, she said there are too many google experts out there that believe Food Combining should be done, which is false............

I was pointed to this article to support what she is saying and I stand behind her:

Some people believe that eating protein and carbohydrates at separate meals can help you lose weight. This idea is known as food combining and has been circulating for quite some time. So how does food combining work? Does it really help you lose weight if you eat protein and carbohydrates at different times? In this short guide, we’ll look at how food combining works and if it really does what people claim.

Food Combining
The basis behind food combining is this: protein requires acid to digest while carbohydrates require alkaline to digest. When looking at it this way, it makes sense, right? Anyone who is familiar with basic chemistry knows that acids and alkaline neutralize each other. If the acid and alkaline needed to digest protein and carbohydrates neutralize each other, then nothing gets digested.

Theoretically, eating protein and carbohydrates at separate meals allows each time to digest using their own process. Start with some fruits for breakfast and a morning snack. Than have a lunch full of starchy potatoes. End the day with some protein, such as meat or cheese. Do all of this each day and watch the weight come off.

The Truth
Sounds too easy, doesn’t it? Well it’s like the old saying goes, “if something’s too good to be true, it probably is.” In this case, you’d be right. Food combining is a theory that is not grounded in any science. If it works at all, it’s due to an increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables—which contain fiber and vitamins for a healthy body.

The problem with food combining is this—foods are made up of protein, carbohydrates, fats and other vitamins and minerals. You can’t just separate the protein from the carbohydrates, and it really wouldn’t make a difference if you did. Research has proven time and time again that digestion happens no matter what you eat. You don’t need to worry about food sitting in your stomach not digesting—because it is digesting.

Digestion begins with your teeth, chewing your food and breaking it down. Then it’s further broken down by acids in your stomach. Finally as the food passes through your intestines, nutrients from the broken up food are absorbed and used by the body.

This happens every time—whether or not you ate a protein, a carbohydrate, a fat or any combination of the three.

The truth is that digestion in actually aided in some cases by the combination of certain foods. Vitamin C, for instance, helps the body better digest iron in grains. There’s a reason why we often have a glass of orange juice with our breakfast of cereal or toast.

There are no secret food combinations or magical potions that help you lose weight. The best weight loss tool is a balanced diet with plenty of exercise and activity.

Lithuria

Ok, unlike Grokette I'm not qualified in any way about this kind of thing BUT....

We don't need to be qualified professionals to see that this theory is incorrect....

The first major flaw in this particular argument is that the stomach does not switch between acid and alkaline production depending on what food is coming in....in fact, the stomach doesn't produce alkalis at all

Come on folks, this is really basic secondary school biology. Our stomach doesn't release alkaline chemicals, just hydrochloric acid, the intestine/gall bladder does not release acidic chemicals, just alkaline fluids and alkaline bile, so it doesn't matter what it is that you eat or in what combination, whatever it is you put in your mouth is going to get a nice strong acid bath in your stomach before getting doused in alkaline bile and intestinal juices in your gut, whether its a juicy steak or a whole heap of potatoes.

There is no mixing of alkaline and acid within the stomach, because that would just render the whole process useless, let alone "inefficient" as such reports here would claim. Your body is a clever thing, it does not sabotage its own digestive process, and if this were true I doubt we would have survived very long as a species because we would have never have been able to adequately digest and absorb the nutrients we need from food.

As for this "fermenting" claim...I'm not sure what you mean by that? How can food ferment inside your body? I think what you mean to say is that the food sits there producing nothing but gas and maybe 'going off'?

Strictly speaking, "We" don't produce gas, bacteria in our gut produces gas. It is down to the kind of food we eat as to whether or not gas is made, not the combination of foods nor the acidity, alkilinity or neutrality of the solution in which it is held in our gastric tract. It's just a by product of digestion by the bacteria (which we need to break down substances that we cannot). It is not a symptom of poor or none existant digestion.

Your food doesn't just sit there in your body. Muscular movements push it through the gut and what waste left after digestion is stored until ready to be shifted out. Yeah I know there are super bad cases of constipation brought about by a disease or by a tremendously bad diet but very very few of us are at the mercy of such things despite common culture wanting us to believe otherwise.

I mean, seriously, have we really become a society of hyperchondriacs? We're worried about the combination of the foods we eat not being digested "efficiently" or giving us "too much gas"? Gas isn't pleasant for those arround us, it's down right embarrasing if it pops out at the wrong moment, but on the whole it's just a perfectly natural product produced by a healthy digestive system....why are we sweating over this small stuff that means nothing when we should be more concerned about making sure what we put in our bodies is healthy and beneficial to us in the first place?

I can't point you to any google found articles on this stuff as it was all written up on a white board in a classroom and has since been wiped away for other little gems of knowlege.

I hope I don't sound harsh or cutting and I certainly hope I haven't meant anyone feel "stupid" because that isn't the point - the point of this is that you don't need to be a doctor or a nutritionist to know the basic building blocks of the digestive system, I think most of us here will have had a thorough education at school...the things we learned there are not just stupid nonesensical things placed to bore or confuse you, the government doesn't just pay for schools as an elaborate free day care system for our parents.... don't forget your science lessons because what you learned in your school classroom probably has more truth to it than any advert or any article trying to sell this workout or that diet, and I'm sorry but the truth is not elaborate nor complex. Use your reasoning mind and the knowlege that qualified teachers and doctors have told you, not what the internet has told you.

And by that logic now you should disregard everything I have said and go to your own doctor and ask them for yourselves!

thelgeson

I was reading that certain foods should not be combined together when eating meals because it hinders proper digestion. For example steak and potato should not be combined because one digests in an alkaline and the other in an acid for best digestion and you can't have both at the same time. This could be the culprit of those of us with IBS, gas, bloating, etc....

Also, regarding fruit, I read:

Fruit has special digestive requirements and should generally be
eaten alone. This is because fruit is very easy to digest and is meant to pass through the digestive
system quickly. If fruit does not pass through the digestive system quickly, such as when combined with
protein or starch, the fruit sugar can ferment in your stomach, often manifesting as bloating and gas.

I put fruit on a starch (oats) all the time. But I DO have a very loud digestive system.
Do you think this information has merit regarding combining your foods?

These things are not true, they are myths.

The stomach is a very acidic environment. When you smell food that you are getting ready to eat, the stomach releases Hydrochloric Acid to prepare for digestion.

Also, you should ALWAYS eat fruit with a bit of protein to keep the blood sugar from rising too high too fast.

Hi ---- I just joined recently, so this is my first post But I have to say that proper food combining is NOT a myth.

1. Whenever you eat "flesh" protein food, the stomach sends up the acidic digesting enzyme pepsin, which initiates protein digestion.
2. Whenever you eat a starch food (concentrated carbohydrate), the stomach sends an alkaline medium to digest it.

So what happens when you eat the two together? The acid and alkaline substances neutralize each other so digestion is hindered, causing fermentation.

Regarding fruit, which requires only 20-30 minutes to pass through the stomach: if fruit is eaten with another food type, like cottage cheese, the fruit is held back because the cottage cheese needs at least 3 and up to 4 hours in the stomach to digest. The fruit will ferment with the cheese, which is what causes problems.

This probably doesn't completely answer your questions, but just wanted to let you know that there is truth to the research you have been finding out

I emailed this to one of my teachers I have had over the previous year and this is the response that I received from her, she said there are too many google experts out there that believe Food Combining should be done, which is false............

I was pointed to this article to support what she is saying and I stand behind her:

Some people believe that eating protein and carbohydrates at separate meals can help you lose weight. This idea is known as food combining and has been circulating for quite some time. So how does food combining work? Does it really help you lose weight if you eat protein and carbohydrates at different times? In this short guide, we’ll look at how food combining works and if it really does what people claim.

Food Combining
The basis behind food combining is this: protein requires acid to digest while carbohydrates require alkaline to digest. When looking at it this way, it makes sense, right? Anyone who is familiar with basic chemistry knows that acids and alkaline neutralize each other. If the acid and alkaline needed to digest protein and carbohydrates neutralize each other, then nothing gets digested.

Theoretically, eating protein and carbohydrates at separate meals allows each time to digest using their own process. Start with some fruits for breakfast and a morning snack. Than have a lunch full of starchy potatoes. End the day with some protein, such as meat or cheese. Do all of this each day and watch the weight come off.

The Truth
Sounds too easy, doesn’t it? Well it’s like the old saying goes, “if something’s too good to be true, it probably is.” In this case, you’d be right. Food combining is a theory that is not grounded in any science. If it works at all, it’s due to an increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables—which contain fiber and vitamins for a healthy body.

The problem with food combining is this—foods are made up of protein, carbohydrates, fats and other vitamins and minerals. You can’t just separate the protein from the carbohydrates, and it really wouldn’t make a difference if you did. Research has proven time and time again that digestion happens no matter what you eat. You don’t need to worry about food sitting in your stomach not digesting—because it is digesting.

Digestion begins with your teeth, chewing your food and breaking it down. Then it’s further broken down by acids in your stomach. Finally as the food passes through your intestines, nutrients from the broken up food are absorbed and used by the body.

This happens every time—whether or not you ate a protein, a carbohydrate, a fat or any combination of the three.

The truth is that digestion in actually aided in some cases by the combination of certain foods. Vitamin C, for instance, helps the body better digest iron in grains. There’s a reason why we often have a glass of orange juice with our breakfast of cereal or toast.

There are no secret food combinations or magical potions that help you lose weight. The best weight loss tool is a balanced diet with plenty of exercise and activity.

Unfortunately, this article is referring to weight loss as a reason or not to combine foods. My question is based purely on digestion alone. I mention this (and the articles I have researched) because of IBS, heartburn, gassy, indigestion, change in bowel consistency, or loud bowels. If fruit is trapped in the stomach (instead of moving quickly through the stomach to the large intestine where it was meant to be digested it's "best") because of the peanut butter fat slowing digestion, is fermentation of the fruit in the stomach a valid science. I see both sides of the coin. To claim people are stupid is just ignorance on your part. Who writes a response and says people are ignorance because of their independent research. I'm not getting this information off of the yahoo answers or mydiary.com. I was gathering information from reputable resources that put forth the arguement. As I'm a college educated person, I know how to research properly and how to ask questions of validity and not take everything as "it's just common sense". At one time common sense said the world was flat.

It seems I have received my answer that this is a very controversial topic that goes either way.... I suppose self testing is the only way to determine if food combining would alleviate any digestive issues of the aforementioned. Thank you to those who responded. I'm really quite sorry I even put forth the discussion.

bpayne78

As for this "fermenting" claim...I'm not sure what you mean by that? How can food ferment inside your body? I think what you mean to say is that the food sits there producing nothing but gas and maybe 'going off'?

I do know that fermenting CAN happen in the stomach IF the food doesn't move like it's supposed to. My sister has been diabetic for 25 years and when she was younger she suffered from Diabetic Gastroperesis. This meant her stomach wasn't digesting the food properly (breakfast eaten at 8/8:30 was still in the stomach not even half digested at 11!!!) and the doctors said that the food was fermenting in her stomach.

Now she DID have a medical reason as to the fermentation so to simply say eating foods in certain combos will cause this just doesn't really fly with me.

If someone is concerned that certain foods are causing their digestive issues they should consult their physician and/or get a referral for a nutritionist/dietitian. It's really hard to diagnose via the internet which is why most doctors won't even diagnose over the phone!

Grokette

I was reading that certain foods should not be combined together when eating meals because it hinders proper digestion. For example steak and potato should not be combined because one digests in an alkaline and the other in an acid for best digestion and you can't have both at the same time. This could be the culprit of those of us with IBS, gas, bloating, etc....

Also, regarding fruit, I read:

Fruit has special digestive requirements and should generally be
eaten alone. This is because fruit is very easy to digest and is meant to pass through the digestive
system quickly. If fruit does not pass through the digestive system quickly, such as when combined with
protein or starch, the fruit sugar can ferment in your stomach, often manifesting as bloating and gas.

I put fruit on a starch (oats) all the time. But I DO have a very loud digestive system.
Do you think this information has merit regarding combining your foods?

These things are not true, they are myths.

The stomach is a very acidic environment. When you smell food that you are getting ready to eat, the stomach releases Hydrochloric Acid to prepare for digestion.

Also, you should ALWAYS eat fruit with a bit of protein to keep the blood sugar from rising too high too fast.

Hi ---- I just joined recently, so this is my first post But I have to say that proper food combining is NOT a myth.

1. Whenever you eat "flesh" protein food, the stomach sends up the acidic digesting enzyme pepsin, which initiates protein digestion.
2. Whenever you eat a starch food (concentrated carbohydrate), the stomach sends an alkaline medium to digest it.

So what happens when you eat the two together? The acid and alkaline substances neutralize each other so digestion is hindered, causing fermentation.

Regarding fruit, which requires only 20-30 minutes to pass through the stomach: if fruit is eaten with another food type, like cottage cheese, the fruit is held back because the cottage cheese needs at least 3 and up to 4 hours in the stomach to digest. The fruit will ferment with the cheese, which is what causes problems.

This probably doesn't completely answer your questions, but just wanted to let you know that there is truth to the research you have been finding out

I emailed this to one of my teachers I have had over the previous year and this is the response that I received from her, she said there are too many google experts out there that believe Food Combining should be done, which is false............

I was pointed to this article to support what she is saying and I stand behind her:

Some people believe that eating protein and carbohydrates at separate meals can help you lose weight. This idea is known as food combining and has been circulating for quite some time. So how does food combining work? Does it really help you lose weight if you eat protein and carbohydrates at different times? In this short guide, we’ll look at how food combining works and if it really does what people claim.

Food Combining
The basis behind food combining is this: protein requires acid to digest while carbohydrates require alkaline to digest. When looking at it this way, it makes sense, right? Anyone who is familiar with basic chemistry knows that acids and alkaline neutralize each other. If the acid and alkaline needed to digest protein and carbohydrates neutralize each other, then nothing gets digested.

Theoretically, eating protein and carbohydrates at separate meals allows each time to digest using their own process. Start with some fruits for breakfast and a morning snack. Than have a lunch full of starchy potatoes. End the day with some protein, such as meat or cheese. Do all of this each day and watch the weight come off.

The Truth
Sounds too easy, doesn’t it? Well it’s like the old saying goes, “if something’s too good to be true, it probably is.” In this case, you’d be right. Food combining is a theory that is not grounded in any science. If it works at all, it’s due to an increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables—which contain fiber and vitamins for a healthy body.

The problem with food combining is this—foods are made up of protein, carbohydrates, fats and other vitamins and minerals. You can’t just separate the protein from the carbohydrates, and it really wouldn’t make a difference if you did. Research has proven time and time again that digestion happens no matter what you eat. You don’t need to worry about food sitting in your stomach not digesting—because it is digesting.

Digestion begins with your teeth, chewing your food and breaking it down. Then it’s further broken down by acids in your stomach. Finally as the food passes through your intestines, nutrients from the broken up food are absorbed and used by the body.

This happens every time—whether or not you ate a protein, a carbohydrate, a fat or any combination of the three.

The truth is that digestion in actually aided in some cases by the combination of certain foods. Vitamin C, for instance, helps the body better digest iron in grains. There’s a reason why we often have a glass of orange juice with our breakfast of cereal or toast.

There are no secret food combinations or magical potions that help you lose weight. The best weight loss tool is a balanced diet with plenty of exercise and activity.

Unfortunately, this article is referring to weight loss as a reason or not to combine foods. My question is based purely on digestion alone. I mention this (and the articles I have researched) because of IBS, heartburn, gassy, indigestion, change in bowel consistency, or loud bowels. If fruit is trapped in the stomach (instead of moving quickly through the stomach to the large intestine where it was meant to be digested it's "best") because of the peanut butter fat slowing digestion, is fermentation of the fruit in the stomach a valid science. I see both sides of the coin. To claim people are stupid is just ignorance on your part. Who writes a response and says people are ignorance because of their independent research. I'm not getting this information off of the yahoo answers or mydiary.com. I was gathering information from reputable resources that put forth the arguement. As I'm a college educated person, I know how to research properly and how to ask questions of validity and not take everything as "it's just common sense". At one time common sense said the world was flat.

It seems I have received my answer that this is a very controversial topic that goes either way.... I suppose self testing is the only way to determine if food combining would alleviate any digestive issues of the aforementioned. Thank you to those who responded. I'm really quite sorry I even put forth the discussion.

Excuse me, but I am college educated also.

The article I posted was sent to me by one of my TEACHERS from the school I just graduated from.

Food combining is a MYTH and should be treated as such. This is the last I have to say about this.