Food Combining, or not.
Food Combining is one subject that I don’t know much about, but as far as I can see this is one subject where a little bit of information can be helpful, and probably isn’t dangerous. So, here goes…
The general idea behind food combining is that different foods are digested and assimilated at different speeds in our stomach and digestive tracts. Also, different digestive enzymes are produced at different times in our bodies, and each one is made to digest different foods. Theory #1 is that we should eat foods in groups depending on how easily they are digested and by which digestive enzymes.
· Do not drink any liquids before, during, or after a solid food meal. This one trips me up a lot. How do they categorize soup?
· Eat all fruits separately. Do not eat any fruit with other types of foods because they are the most easily and quickly digested. This is especially true regarding melons, and you might as well throw tomatoes into this group too.
· Divide the rest food types into meats/proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables. This is confusing because many vegetables are considered carbohydrates, and the die-hards won't combine protiens with fats, among other minutiae. From these three food groups you can eat any two at a time: Meat and carbohydrates, meat and vegetables, or carbohydrates and vegetables. Real serious food combiners separate cooked and raw vegetables.
This theory effectively throws the idea of a “square meal” right out the window. Nothing could be worse for the OCD Food Combiner than setting a plate of pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, beans, and cranberry sauce in front of him. No wonder why they sell so much Alka-Seltzer during Thanksgiving weekend!
So if you have a salad for lunch either put beans and croutons on it OR put meat and cheese on it, not both. Don’t eat raw tomatoes with your salad, or just about anything else for that matter, because they are too acidic. You can have steak and a potato for dinner OR Steak and broccoli, not both. You can have rice with protein or nuts (no veggies) OR rice with veggies (No protein). Get the idea?
Well, I just read this web page and realized that it is SO VERY MUCH more complicated than I realized: http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/DietandLifestyle/Food_combining.htm
After reading a small portion of this site I realize that my old theory of eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day is a great way to live. That way you can have a fruit meal, a whole grain meal, a vegetable meal, a protein meal, another grain or vegetable meal, and a dessert (of course!). I just can’t image how Obsessive-Compulsive the guy was who came up with this. I have to say though that they are completely correct in how the digestive enzymes work in the body, and that this type of diet would most probably correct gas, digestion, irritable bowl, and ulcer problems in those people who have these diseases because of years of excessive food intake.
I don’t think food combining as a weight-loss diet is a good long-term plan. Not only is it difficult to sustain long term, but like the now defunct Atkins diet, it is missing too many of the nutrients it proposes are assimilated better through eating this way.
More later on my 6 meals a day program.
The general idea behind food combining is that different foods are digested and assimilated at different speeds in our stomach and digestive tracts. Also, different digestive enzymes are produced at different times in our bodies, and each one is made to digest different foods. Theory #1 is that we should eat foods in groups depending on how easily they are digested and by which digestive enzymes.
· Do not drink any liquids before, during, or after a solid food meal. This one trips me up a lot. How do they categorize soup?
· Eat all fruits separately. Do not eat any fruit with other types of foods because they are the most easily and quickly digested. This is especially true regarding melons, and you might as well throw tomatoes into this group too.
· Divide the rest food types into meats/proteins, carbohydrates, and vegetables. This is confusing because many vegetables are considered carbohydrates, and the die-hards won't combine protiens with fats, among other minutiae. From these three food groups you can eat any two at a time: Meat and carbohydrates, meat and vegetables, or carbohydrates and vegetables. Real serious food combiners separate cooked and raw vegetables.
This theory effectively throws the idea of a “square meal” right out the window. Nothing could be worse for the OCD Food Combiner than setting a plate of pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, beans, and cranberry sauce in front of him. No wonder why they sell so much Alka-Seltzer during Thanksgiving weekend!
So if you have a salad for lunch either put beans and croutons on it OR put meat and cheese on it, not both. Don’t eat raw tomatoes with your salad, or just about anything else for that matter, because they are too acidic. You can have steak and a potato for dinner OR Steak and broccoli, not both. You can have rice with protein or nuts (no veggies) OR rice with veggies (No protein). Get the idea?
Well, I just read this web page and realized that it is SO VERY MUCH more complicated than I realized: http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/DietandLifestyle/Food_combining.htm
After reading a small portion of this site I realize that my old theory of eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day is a great way to live. That way you can have a fruit meal, a whole grain meal, a vegetable meal, a protein meal, another grain or vegetable meal, and a dessert (of course!). I just can’t image how Obsessive-Compulsive the guy was who came up with this. I have to say though that they are completely correct in how the digestive enzymes work in the body, and that this type of diet would most probably correct gas, digestion, irritable bowl, and ulcer problems in those people who have these diseases because of years of excessive food intake.
I don’t think food combining as a weight-loss diet is a good long-term plan. Not only is it difficult to sustain long term, but like the now defunct Atkins diet, it is missing too many of the nutrients it proposes are assimilated better through eating this way.
More later on my 6 meals a day program.
posted by Maggie The LadyHawk | 3:44 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home