Principles of combining foods

Nutrition Discussions
1

Check this out and you may be a little surprised:

Principles of
Combining Foods Properly

By Dr. Herbert M. Shelton
Reprinted from Dr. Shelton’s Hygienic Review

There are sound physiological reasons for eating foods in compatible combinations. In other words, some foods, if mixed in the digestive system, will cause distress! The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry. Different foods are digested differently. Starchy foods require an alkaline digestive medium which is supplied initially in the mouth by the enzyme ptyalin. Protein foods require an acid medium for digestion- hydrochloric acid.

As any student of chemistry will assure you, acids and bases (alkalis) neutralize each other. If you eat a starch with a protein, digestion is impaired or completely arrested! The undigested food mass can cause various kinds of digestive disorders. Undigested food becomes soil for bacteria which ferment and decompose it. Its by products are poisonous, one of which, alcohol, is a narcotic that destroys or inhibits nerve function. It plays havoc with nerves of the digestive tract, suspending their vital action such that constipation may well be a result! As set forth in Dr. Herbert Shelton’s FOOD COMBINING MADE EASY these are the salient rules for proper food combining.

The Basic Rules of Proper Food Combining:

  1. Eat acids and starches at separate meals. Acids neutralize the alkaline medium required for starch digestion and the result is fermentation and indigestion.

  2. Eat protein foods and carbohydrate foods at separate meals. Protein foods require an acid medium for digestion.

  3. Eat but one kind of protein food at a meal.

  4. Eat proteins and acid foods at separate meals. The acids of acid foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion. Undigested protein putrefies in bacterial decomposition and produces some potent poisons.

  5. Eat fats and proteins at separate meals. Some foods, especially nuts, are over 50% fat and require hours for digestion.

  6. Eat sugars (fruits) and proteins at separate meals.

  7. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals. Fruits undergo no digestion in the stomach and are held up if eaten with foods that require digestion in the stomach.

  8. Eat melons alone. They combine with almost no other food.

  9. Desert the desserts. Eaten on top of meals they lie heavy on the stomach, requiring no digestion there, and ferment. Bacteria turn them into alcohols and vinegars and acetic acids.

2

I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work. You need to balance your protein and carbs in meals so that the carbs don’t spike your insulin and so you don’t feel drowsy. You want slower digestion of your meals so that you have a steady supply of glucose, that’s why combining fats and protien with carbs is good.

This whole food combining thing started in the 70s with the “Fit for Life” book. The book is complete bullshit and the guy claims that with “proper” food combining you can lose weight. I guarantee that there is no scientific proof on the subject.

3

the reason people get drowsy when eating this way is usually because they are not getting enough fat in their diet. all you have to do is try eating this way immediately before a workout (either a protein or carb meal). then the next day eat spagetti and meatballs or a sandwich and immediately work out. you will feel bloated and not be able to perform as well when combining foods. poor combination of foods is also the cause of most hearburn cases. in my opinion, a perfect pregame or pre-event meal would be a steak and salad.

4

Unless of course you want, you know, ENERGY to complete the game/event.