Food Combining: A Key To Better Health?
The idea of food combining was introduced by Dr. William Howard Day early in the 20th century. The reasoning behind it was based on body chemistry principles. Simply put, the body uses certain acids and bases, or alkalis, to help digest certain foods.
When those different foods are eaten together, Day asserted, the juices can neutralize each other, blocking if not stopping the digestion process. Out of that came a set of guidelines meant to help in planning the day's and week's meals.
Many others since then have embraced this concept and elaborated on it. Dr. Herbert M. Shelton, an author in the area of alternative medicine, wrote extensively about how food pairings effect health. in his book, Dr. Shelton's Hygienic Review, he set down his "nine basic rules for food combining".
Some of those include:
- Eat protein foods and carbohydrate foods at separate meals.
- Eat only one kind of protein food at a meal.
- Eat fats and proteins at separate meals.
- Eat fruits and proteins at separate meals.
More recently, the Body Ecology website was set up to offer a diet created around the proper combining of foods. After cleansing the body, the new method of choosing food is introduced.
As with Dr. Shelton's principles, eating proteins with non-starchy vegetables is recommended, as well as pairing non-starchy vegetables with grains or starchy vegetables. Suggested fats include avocado, nuts and seeds. Some oils are olive, flaxseed and coconut.
Alder Brooke Healing Arts in Oregon has a printable chart that clearly illustrates the different food "groups" and how they should or should not go together. There is also advice ranging from eating fruit before a meal to what temperature liquid with a meal should be.
Food Categories in Combining
Acid Fruits:
Blackberry; Plum (sour); Cranberries; Pomegranate; Grapefruit; Raspberry; Lemon/Lime; Sour Apple; Orange; Strawberry; Pineapple; Sour Cherries
Sub-Acid Fruits:
Apple; Mango; Apricot; Blueberry; Peach; Cherry; Pear; Kiwi; Plum (sweet)
Sweet Fruits:
Banana; Date; Papaya; Persimmon; Currant; Dried Fruits; Fig; Prunes; Grapes; Raisins
Fermented:
Kefir; Yogurt; Tempeh; Miso; Sauerkraut
Sea/Water Vegetables:
Agar; Kelp; Sea Palm; Wakame
Non-Starchy Vegetables:
Greens; Cabbage; Broccoli, Root; Eggplant; Sweet Peppers; Squash; Onions (scallions); Mushrooms; Celery; Cucumber; Cauliflower; Asparagus
Complex Carbs:
Beans; Breads; Potatoes; Cereals; Grains; Lentils; Squash
Concentrated Proteins:
Nuts; Seeds; Eggs; Fish; Fowl; Meat; Milk; Soybeans; Yogurt
Possible Food Combinations
Good Combinations
| Examples
|
|---|---|
High Protein + Non Starch Vegetable
| Chicken Breast + Broccoli
|
High Starch + Non Starch Vegetable
| Lentils + Peppers/Onions/Mushrooms
|
Poor Combinations
| Examples
|
|---|---|
High Protein-Fruits
| Eggs + Fruit Salad
|
High Protein - High Starch
| Steak + Bread/Rolls
|
Fruits-Non Starch Veg
| Apples + Green salad
|
Fruits-High Starch
| Banana + cereal
|
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So exactly how effective is this way of eating? It depends on who you ask. Testimonials from alternative health experts and lay people alike point to the eating changes having some positive effect. Improved digestion and weight loss are two of the direct benefits touted.
But mainstream professionals in general don't believe the basic tenants of this mindset. The human body, they say, has always been designed to handle many different possible food combinations. In fact, some foods, like beans and yogurt, already contain combined properties that Dr. Day would not have approved of putting together.
Studies such as the one carried out by researchers at University Hospital in Geneva, Switzerland show that there is no major difference in weight loss between people who pair certain foods and those who don't. And in various publications like the "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide", experts say that pairings do not significantly improve digestion.
Some doctors even express concern about limiting foods and combinations, saying that can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Taking certain foods out of the diet might be helpful for people who have intense digestive issues. For instance, beans or roughage can aggravate irritable bowl syndrome.
But in terms of every day diet, aiming for balance rather than ideal combinations seems to be the safest way to better health. Choose My Plate, a USDA-sponsored website, explains how to fill up segments of a 9-inch plate with items from the traditional food groups to meet daily nutritional needs. The emphasis is variety and healthy choices in the diet.
Resources
For Food Combining:
- Body Ecology (www.bodyecology.com)
- Alder Brooke Healing Arts (www.alderbrooke.com)
For Other Approaches:
- Choose My Plate (www.choosemyplate.gov)
- Livestrong (www.livestrong.com)
