#‎Secrets‬ of ‪#‎Food_Combining‬ for optimum health

 

The observance of rules of food combining is a simple, scientifically based system of selecting foods, from among different types, which are compatible. This facilitates easy and efficient digestion and ensures after-meal comfort. It is the combining of many varieties and incompatible foods at a meal that causes 90 per cent of digestive disorders.

There is a marked tendency to gastro-intestinal fermentation with certain combinations of foods. There is no fermentation and digestion will be much more satisfactory when the foods comprising a meal are of the same type. This generally means eating similar foods at one time in order to accomplish the most complete digestion.

The most important rule for combining foods is to avoid mixing protein and carbohydrate concentrated foods. Although every food contains some protein, those regarded as protein concentrated foods demand the longest digestive time. They are held in the stomach for some hours until the gastric juices has performed its task. This may vary from two-and-a-half to six hours, depending upon the complexity of the protein in the food. If a protein food is mixed with starch-concentrated or sugar-concentrated foods, it will usually result in fermentation. This may lead to indigestion and gas in the stomach.

The second important rule for food combining is to avoid mixing proteins and fats at the same meal. Fat in foods inhibits the secretion of gastric juice through the small wall. Thus when fat-concentrated foods are taken with protein foods, gastric catabolism will decrease by the degree of liquid concentration in the stomach. Fat will remain undigested in the stomach until gastric juices complete their work on the complex protein molecule.

Another important rule for food combining is to avoid mixing carbohydrates and acid fruits in the same meal. The starch-splitting enzyme ptyalin in the saliva plays an important role as the food is chewed. It converts the complex starch molecules into simpler sugars. Ptyalin requires a neutral or slightly alkaline medium for proper functioning and this is the normal condition of the saliva in the mouth. However, when acid foods are taken, the action of ptyalin is halted. It is, therefore, necessary to avoid acid fruits in the same meal as sweet fruits or starches. Thus tomatoes should not be eaten with starches especially potatoes or bread.

In a nutshell, starches, fats, green vegetables and sugars may be eaten together as they require either an alkaline or neutral medium for their digestion. Similarly, proteins, green vegetables and acid fruits may be eaten together as they require an acid or neutral medium for their digestion. But starches and proteins, fats and proteins and starches and acid fruits should not be eaten together as a general rule, if the best results are required from the ingestion of the food eaten. This in brief is the whole basis for successful food combination.

An important point to remember about meals is that the smaller the number of courses they consist of, the better it will be. They should approximate to a one-course meal as much as possible. Simple meals in every way are more conducive to health, than more elaborate ones, no matter how well they may be combined.