Food Combining - can a good combo help digestion?

I'm wondering if any of you try to follow the principles of food combining, and whether or not you feel it has helped your digestion or anything else for that matter. I believe nothing has been scientifically proven, and they are all over the board, but here is list of principles from one site:

1. Never eat carbohydrate foods and acid foods at the same meal.
2. Never eat a concentrated protein and a concentrated carbohydrate at the same meal.
3. Never consume two concentrated proteins at the same meal.
4. Do not consume proteins with fats.
5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins.
6. Do not consume starches and sugars together.
7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal.
8. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.
9. Do not consume melons with any other foods.
10. Milk is best taken alone, or let alone.

http://www.acidalkalinediet.net/correct-food-combining-principles.php
«1

Replies

  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    Other than not eating fats and starchy carbs together (which I don't see on the list), I've never heard that defying any of these rules contribute to difficulty digesting food. If you want better digestion, cook everything including veggies. Limit your overall sugar intake, and focus on consuming more fats and less carbs (not saying go low carb, that's up to you. Fats are generally easier to digest though).
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    leosmith66 wrote: »
    I'm wondering if any of you try to follow the principles of food combining, and whether or not you feel it has helped your digestion or anything else for that matter. I believe nothing has been scientifically proven, and they are all over the board, but here is list of principles from one site:

    1. Never eat carbohydrate foods and acid foods at the same meal.
    2. Never eat a concentrated protein and a concentrated carbohydrate at the same meal.
    3. Never consume two concentrated proteins at the same meal.
    4. Do not consume proteins with fats.
    5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins.
    6. Do not consume starches and sugars together.
    7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal.
    8. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.
    9. Do not consume melons with any other foods.
    10. Milk is best taken alone, or let alone.

    http://www.acidalkalinediet.net/correct-food-combining-principles.php

    Complete twaddle.....
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    Sounds like the advice from http://dailyburn.com/life/health/trim-healthy-mama-plan-diet/
    Someone at my work was doing this I thought it was complete woo then ... and now
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    No, I don't. I'm sure others have more scientific explanations of why it's bunk. Mine are simpler:

    (1) It would drive me crazy and make eating less pleasant and more stressful.

    (2) Given human history, we ate what was available when possible. (This is also why the notion that any particular eating pattern must be necessary, like 6 meals a day, is implausible -- we had the ability to eat when we could and go without eating for a while if we needed.) As food became more reliable due to farming and so on, we developed diverse food cultures based on what was available in the area and season (and which could vary quite a bit by season). The idea that we require complicated regimens to thrive is just not plausible, again -- we are sturdier than that.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    Looks to me like you can't eat anything combined with anything else. I think there are more reliable sources out there for information about digestion than a dot net webpage with no references.
  • leosmith66
    leosmith66 Posts: 69 Member
    It's not just that one site either. If you google "food combining", you get dozens of sites, much of the information contradicts itself, often even within a single site. But one thing I've changed that has helped me is eating fruit well before a meal instead of right after it. Its a pretty simple change that has reduced stomach discomfort.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    As someone with an actual severe digestive disease (crohn's) I have never been told to follow these by a dietitian, doctor or other patients. It's hogwash.
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    negative ghost rider
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    I agree with the consensus, it's not necessary. Plus, #4 is near impossible for animal product consumers. All meats contain fats. So that leaves protein powders or plant based proteins.

    Oh, wait a second. My favorite plant protein source is lentils. High in protein AND carbs (as are many whole food, protein rich plants). So, the plant only eaters violate #2.

    Arbitrary rules are arbitrary. And contradictory.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yup...millions of years of evolution and we need all kinds or rules in order to function properly...
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    edited October 2016
    The reason it is bunk is that if you change your body's pH level slightly, you die. Under the rubric of 'knowledge', the pH zealots say a lot of stuff which, if followed exactly, doesn't change your pH level even a little bit. The proof of that statement is, the pH zealots remain alive.

  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    NO MORE OREOS AND MILK??



    Fighting words.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    I get all of my health advice from DetoxTheChemicalz.cn
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Lots of people I knew tried Fit for Life in the 80s and 90s. None of us stayed with this hogwash.

    I'm surprised it's so well reviewed on Amazon and will have to do my part to rectify that: https://www.amazon.com/Harvey-Diamond-Marilyn-Fit-Life/dp/B004S2XNO6/ref=sr_1_3
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Other than not eating fats and starchy carbs together (which I don't see on the list), I've never heard that defying any of these rules contribute to difficulty digesting food. If you want better digestion, cook everything including veggies. Limit your overall sugar intake, and focus on consuming more fats and less carbs (not saying go low carb, that's up to you. Fats are generally easier to digest though).

    Tell that to my reflux. It does not like fats very much.

    I've found sweeping statements like yours don't hold true for everyone and it's best not to make them.

    OP, I tried food combining. Your version bringing in ph stuff is something new to me. That adds an extra level of oh-no-not-this as far as I'm concerned.

    Food combining did nothing for me but make it hard to plan meals.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    WOO.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Crap, my ham and pineapple pizza breaks a few of those rules.

    OP, this is unnecessary and just makes life so much more difficult. Eat foods you like in reasonable portions. Stay in your calorie goal. If you are often hungry play with your macros a bit. Personally, I find fats and proteins keep me feeling full longer. Vegetables fill me up for less calories. Other people find carbs are filling.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Yup...millions of years of evolution and we need all kinds or rules in order to function properly...

    I'm surprised we aren't extinct!
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    leosmith66 wrote: »
    I'm wondering if any of you try to follow the principles of food combining, and whether or not you feel it has helped your digestion or anything else for that matter. I believe nothing has been scientifically proven, and they are all over the board, but here is list of principles from one site:

    1. Never eat carbohydrate foods and acid foods at the same meal.
    2. Never eat a concentrated protein and a concentrated carbohydrate at the same meal.
    3. Never consume two concentrated proteins at the same meal.
    4. Do not consume proteins with fats.
    5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins.
    6. Do not consume starches and sugars together.
    7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal.
    8. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.
    9. Do not consume melons with any other foods.
    10. Milk is best taken alone, or let alone.

    http://www.acidalkalinediet.net/correct-food-combining-principles.php

    This is all complete nonsense and should be disregarded. Eating is not this complicated. Eat the way you want to eat.

    You should also disregard anything a website touting the dangers/benefits of acidic/alkaline diet. You can not change your body's pH through food, and the claims they make about eating certain foods to make the blood more "alkaline" is all complete woo.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    leosmith66 wrote: »
    I'm wondering if any of you try to follow the principles of food combining, and whether or not you feel it has helped your digestion or anything else for that matter. I believe nothing has been scientifically proven, and they are all over the board, but here is list of principles from one site:

    1. Never eat carbohydrate foods and acid foods at the same meal.
    2. Never eat a concentrated protein and a concentrated carbohydrate at the same meal.
    3. Never consume two concentrated proteins at the same meal.
    4. Do not consume proteins with fats.
    5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins.
    6. Do not consume starches and sugars together.
    7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal.
    8. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.
    9. Do not consume melons with any other foods.
    10. Milk is best taken alone, or let alone.

    http://www.acidalkalinediet.net/correct-food-combining-principles.php

    This is all complete nonsense and should be disregarded. Eating is not this complicated. Eat the way you want to eat.

    You should also disregard anything a website touting the dangers/benefits of acidic/alkaline diet. You can not change your body's pH through food, and the claims they make about eating certain foods to make the blood more "alkaline" is all complete woo.

    Not to mention if it did work, it would be dangerous. The blood is maintained carefully within a small range of pH. The body has several different mechanisms to maintain this, because it is that important for our health and well-being.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I would definitely lose weight following this plan, because it forbids just about every food combination i have! Plus i would have a big ol migraine trying to follow this, that i wouldnt feel like eating anyway :wink:
  • Anvil_Head
    Anvil_Head Posts: 251 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    leosmith66 wrote: »
    I'm wondering if any of you try to follow the principles of food combining, and whether or not you feel it has helped your digestion or anything else for that matter. I believe nothing has been scientifically proven, and they are all over the board, but here is list of principles from one site:

    1. Never eat carbohydrate foods and acid foods at the same meal.
    2. Never eat a concentrated protein and a concentrated carbohydrate at the same meal.
    3. Never consume two concentrated proteins at the same meal.
    4. Do not consume proteins with fats.
    5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins.
    6. Do not consume starches and sugars together.
    7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal.
    8. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.
    9. Do not consume melons with any other foods.
    10. Milk is best taken alone, or let alone.

    http://www.acidalkalinediet.net/correct-food-combining-principles.php

    This is all complete nonsense and should be disregarded. Eating is not this complicated. Eat the way you want to eat.

    You should also disregard anything a website touting the dangers/benefits of acidic/alkaline diet. You can not change your body's pH through food, and the claims they make about eating certain foods to make the blood more "alkaline" is all complete woo.

    Not to mention if it did work, it would be dangerous. The blood is maintained carefully within a small range of pH. The body has several different mechanisms to maintain this, because it is that important for our health and well-being.

    Time to bounce this one in again:

    dsvxpr2zd1ux.jpg
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    So, according to rule 4, no meat ever. F*** that.
  • leosmith66
    leosmith66 Posts: 69 Member
    Oh sorry, I got the wrong site. Here's the right one. Dr. Pickering is a respected professional who knew Charles Atlas, so I have much more confidence in his advice, even though there are less rules.

    The 3 commandments:
    1) No proteins and starches at the same meal
    2) No fruits and vegetables at the same meal
    3) Eat melon alone

    When and what:
    4) Morning meal: The least concentrated foods, in the greatest amount. Ideal food choice: fruits
    5) Middle of the day: More complex foods, but in a smaller amount than your first meal. Ideal food choice: starchy carbs
    6) Evening: The most concentrated foods, but in the least abundant amount. Ideal food choice: protein

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/27/food-combining.aspx