What is food combining?

Food combining is just that - it is carefully selecting the foods that you eat together. It is a concept that was developed by a physician Dr William Hay (1866-1940) initially to overcome his own health problems. He then used it to cure a wide range of illnesses. In reality the concept is not new and can be found in the rituals of eating in many different civilizations. Part of today's high rate of chronic illness in westernized societies can be attributed to the loss of ritual in eating and not just in poor food content.

Food combining in a nutshell

• Carbohydrates (starches) should NEVER be eaten at the same time as protein.

• Carbohydrates are digested faster than proteins so the time between first eating carbohydrate and protein can be shorter than the time between first eating protein and then carbohydrate. The actual times will depend on the amounts and specific foods. One hour might be sufficient between a light carbohydrate entree and a protein based main course. Two hours might be sufficient after eating fish before eating carbohydrate but it will usually take at least three hours for the stomach to process meat.

• Fruits are better eaten on their own first thing in the morning. You might eat another food an hour or so later.

Using the food combining tables

The Tables below are taken from Hay's initial work. Some people have reinterpreted these but they are basically correct. The foods in the tables refer to fresh unprocessed foods. The principle is that the foods in column one are incompatible with the foods in column three and should never be taken together. The food in column two are neutral and can be eaten alone or in combination with the foods in column one OR two. The foods in column one OR three can also all be eaten together.

Dr Hay was not against drinking some alcohol and suggests that wine is drunk with protein, beer with carbohydrates and spirits with neutral foods.

Why does food combining work?

Digestion is strongly influenced by pH (the level of acidity) in the stomach and small intestine. Starches are digested by mechanical action in the stomach and by enzymes in the mouth and small intestine that work in an ALKALINE environment. In contrast, proteins are digested by enzymes that work under HIGHLY ACIDIC conditions. For the most part this digestion occurs in the stomach with the aid of enzymes that thrive in the acidity caused by the stomach's production of hydrochloric acid.

If protein and starch are mixed in the stomach, then two things happen. The time for the stomach to empty is increased and the food that emerges is a mixed bolus that is highly acid. Since the enzymes that break down starch cannot function, there is pain and discomfort. An antacid tablet helps to reduce this by making the system more alkaline.

Effect on the GUT FLORA & absorption of nutrients

Since digestive enzymes cannot function properly whenever a person eats the wrong mixtures of food, much of the food remains undigested. Some of the undigested food will pass out in the faeces but much of it will be broken down by yeasts and bacteria that populate the digestive system. Unfortunately many of these yeasts and bacteria cause very unfavorable and sometimes highly toxic by-products. The most observable outcome is bloating, generalised intestinal gas, pain and farting. Less observable are carcinogenic by-products including phenol and hydroquinone. There is also a failure to absorb necessary nutrients and a range of dietary deficiencies.

A secondary effect of the poor digestion is that serious disturbances in gut flora arise. These are often rectified through taking PROBIOTICS. However an unbalanced gut flora contributes to a range of common chronic illnesses that range from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome to many different allergies and pain syndromes. It also contributes to obesity and psychiatric illness, especially depression.

If you want to be slim, healthy, happy and reduce your cancer risk, you should start a FOOD COMBINING DIET today.

FOOD COMBINING TABLES