Hey there, viewers!
You may have heard of food combining, which has been trending for a while.
But what is this exactly?
Our daily diet is made of food groups like fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
We eat a lot of processed foods from these diverse groups.
Some experts believe in combining certain food groups with the others for more nutrients.
In today's video, we’ll be discussing food combining, and its benefits.
What are the rules for food combining?
Can you really lose weight with these combinations?
We will be discussing all of these and more...
What exactly is food combining?
Food combining is an age-old philosophy that involves combining the foods that complement
each other.
Bad food combos lead to serious digestive issues.
For obvious reasons, combos like the tomato milkshake should be avoided.
But at the same time, we have zero problem eating a steak with a side of fries.
The theory of food combining challenges many popular meals in the traditional diet.
Food combining gets its roots from ancient Indian culture.
Western medicine recognized this science in the mid-1800’s.
There are two ways of categorizing food according to this science.
One theory categorizes it based on the pH level.
Either it’s acidic alkaline, or neutral.
The other theory has simplified foods to belong to the following groups.
This includes carbs, proteins, fats, fruits and veggies.
Now let’s talk about food groups that can be paired with each other.
There are few important rules for food combining.
Let's discuss those here...
Rule 1: Eat fruits on an empty stomach.
Ditch the tea and coffee.
Wake up with fresh fruit instead.
Fruits, especially melons and berries, have to be consumed on an empty stomach.
We don't know how well it will keep you awake through early morning work meetings, but it
will definitely improve your digestive system.
Some crave sweets during the day.
Others have frozen fruits.
Again, you might consider this a healthy practice but food combining doesn’t allow you to
have fruits after meals.
Milkshakes are also a big NO!
Which are your absolute favorite fruits?
At what time during the day do you have them?
Share preferences with the bestie community in the comments below.
Rule 2: You can also have dairy on an empty stomach.
Like I said, coffee and tea on an empty stomach is bad news, but drinking some milk, and consuming
other dairy products is fine.
Rule 3: Have only one type of protein at a time.
A meal combining lamb, chicken, fish, and pork may seem like a dream to most of us,
but it’s certainly harmful to your gut.
Stick to one protein at a time.
Rule 4: Do NOT combine protein with fats and sugar.
That means saying goodbye to your favorite pan-seared steak slathered in butter.
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Rule 5: Do not combine starches or carbohydrates with protein.
Your favorite meals like hamburgers, spaghetti and meatballs, rice, and chicken all combine
carbohydrates and protein.
These could be dangerous combinations according to science.
Rule 6: Non-starchy vegetables can be teamed up with proteins.
Do not mix your protein with starchy vegetables like potatoes, butternut squash, parsnips,
peas, lentils and corn.
Green veggies and non starchy foods like asparagus, artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage,
mushrooms, onions, spinach and zucchini can be excellent plate partners of protein.
Rule 7: Keep away from processed and sugary foods.
Hunger pangs can strike you at any time of the day.
Before meals or between meals.
It can be quite tempting to open a box of cookies, or a bag of chips and satisfy your
hunger.
But science warns against this.
You should only snack on vegetables when you’re hungry.
Find these rules too crazy to follow?
Don’t worry, once you actually start trying them, it will be much easier.
But before we continue, do you feel like your protein sources are limited?
Check out our recent video on 11 easy protein sources you might be overlooking.
What will happen if we ignore food combining?
Have you ever wondered why we’re bombarded with ads for antacids and digestives?
Indigestion and bloating are just so common!
This brings us back to poor food combinations.
Several foods require an acidic environment for the complete breakdown, while the others
need alkaline.
If we consume these food groups together, we put our body in a state of confusion.
It stops both the acidic and alkaline juices from digesting your food.
Instead of digesting, the acidic and alkaline go at each other.
As a result, the food sits undigested.
It then rots and gives rise to bacteria and fungus, causing bloating and indigestion.
Proteins need acid for digestion, while carbs require alkaline.
This is the reason why they shouldn’t be paired together in a meal.
Also, the speed at which different food groups digest has to be considered.
A food that’s quickly digested shouldn’t be combined with a food that takes many hours
to digest.
It will stop the absorption of all the nutrients from those foods.
Benefits of food combining
Weight watchers have been excited about this diet for a long time, but there’s no scientific
evidence supporting this.
Only one study used this science to find out if it’s useful for weight loss or not.
The results of the study underlined that food combining has no special effect on weight
loss.
Any weight loss was achieved by other methods.
Bestie's take on food combining
Modern science puts a huge emphasis on portion sizes.
It has to be a balance of proteins, carbs and fats.
Our modern palates are accustomed to a blend of all of these.
Plus, it’s difficult to isolate these food groups.
Our bodies have been juggling these food groups in a decent fashion for centuries.
Separating these food groups might not be the best idea.
There is a shred of scientific evidence supporting this.
Digestive enzymes like pepsin are responsible for digesting protein and fat in your stomach.
But studies show that these are released regardless of the food group entering the stomach.
Whether they’re carbs, or even fruits and vegetables.
And the real turn-around happens when it moves down the small intestine where these acids
are completely taken out by other enzymes for maximum nutrients.
This defies the pH theory of food combining.
Food combining theory states that undigested food that sits for a long time in the stomach
starts rotting due to microorganisms, which simply can’t happen as the pH of the stomach
is extremely acidic.
This makes it difficult for any bacteria to thrive.
This environment is extremely hostile for fermentation, which takes place in the colon.
Countless bacteria are continuously fermenting the undigested food.
This is the process where gases are formed.
If you’re passing gas at a reasonable rate, it probably means your gut is in good shape.
This method of dieting can help make you mindful of every bite.
Since junk food isn’t allowed, healthy food choices will help you lose weight.
Fruits and veggies will be a nutrient-packed addition to your diet, and will keep you full
for a longer period.
They will also keep you energetic.
If you’ve decided to follow this diet, but are confused about where to begin, we have
a few combo ideas you might like…
Eating plain fruits early in the morning can be boring.
Just add a few veggies like celery and spinach, as well as some lemon and a few ice cubes.
After that, you’ll be all set.
Steamed veggies with rice, pasta or toast are a terrific option for lunch.
Proteins require the longest amount of time to digest.
This is why they should be consumed during dinner.
A meat of your choice, with a green salad or steamed veggies will be perfect.
Just remember not to fry the meat.
Some universal food combining tips...
You may not know this, but iron is well absorbed in the presence of Vitamin C. So if you’re
iron deficient or anemic, consuming iron-rich foods isn’t good for you.
Complementing your diet with Vitamin C will help.
Simply squeeze a bit of lemon over green leafy vegetables like spinach or beans.
All red vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins, red bell peppers, and mangoes contain
Vitamin A. This is a fat-soluble vitamin that requires the help of fatty foods like butter
and oil for its absorption.
So adding fatty dressings to your salad might be a great idea.
The food we consume plays a major role in weight loss.
Let’s keep the conversation going with a few more videos, shall we?
Be sure to check out the 50 foods you must avoid if you want to lose weight.
Or how about 12 diet mistakes to avoid when you are trying to lose weight?
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to become healthier through diet.
Do you struggle with making healthy food choices?
Let us know in the comments below!