Nowadays, we love to eat meals full of flavors, textures, and combinations... We are used to putting many ingredients into a single meal for the pleasure of our taste buds.
The food combining method invites us to rethink the way we pair foods.
What is the food combining method ?
Certain foods combine and digest well together, while others do not combine very well. The digestive system is a complex system that begins in the mouth during the chewing of food and ends in the toilet when we have a bowel movement. In the meantime, the food will be crushed, mixed, transformed by enzymes, hydrochloric acid, separated, divided, absorbed or not. Each stage brings its transformations to allow forabsorb nutrients of our food: in the mouth, the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestine, the colon, the rectum. Many organs "and" glands are involved in these digestive processes: the salivary glands, the teeth, the pancreas, the liver... Each type of food will require a pH precise, ofenzymes adapted to be digested. On the other hand, if we combine, during the same meal, acidic foods, which means they require a very acidic pH, and foods that require an alkaline or slightly acidic pH, then there is a dilemma in the stomach... Some enzymes will also either promote or hinder the digestion of another type of food. The idea behind the food combining method is to dissociate The consumption of foods that are not digested in the same way and ofassociate those that digest well together according to the principles of the method.
What does the method propose?
The idea of the food combining method is to separate certain foods within a single meal, on the grounds that they do not have the same digestion time.
How to combine the right foods together ?
Different levels of food combinations can be applied. The major author on this subject is Shelton. His method is a bit difficult to apply on a daily basis. One can start gently with the food associations of large families or delve into the details and rigorously deepen this method. Personally, I believe that there are major combinations that are easy to incorporate into the daily diet of almost everyone. Then, depending on needs and motivation, one can go more or less far with this method, possibly accompanied by a naturopath to adapt the method to your personal situation. You will think about your menus and meals considering these food associations, which are based on the principle of food combinations. Generally, you will be led to... simplify meals "and to" limit the seasonings. For example
- Fruit-only meal
- Vegetable meal + oilseeds or fats
- Vegetable meal + plant or animal proteins
I always accompany the consultants to experiment, to observe their felt by proceeding with stages. Listen to your body to know what suits you and what doesn't... It is important to experiment and toadapt ...to each person, especially avoiding adding a dogma and rules that wouldn't make sense. And even if one doesn't seem to have any issues, the experience can sometimes make one realize that there was a discomfort. When we feel good at the table and after the meal, it motivates us to continue and to find the diet that suits us.
What foods should be paired together ?
To begin with, and to keep it simple, we can "to dissociate certain families" of food (macronutrients) : carbohydrates, proteins, fats, strong and weak starches. Vegetables generally pair very well with other categories. Thus, in this method, one can follow these food combinations:
- combine vegetables with an animal or plant protein,
- one can also combine vegetables with a starchy food or starch,
- or combine vegetables with oilseeds or fat,
- associate certain sweet fruits with vegetables.
If one is vegetarian, vegan, or consumes a lot of raw and living foods, the method of food combining will be quite easy to integrate for these general guidelines. However, there are certain combinations that it will be preferable to avoid. Food combining plays a key role in how we compose our meals.
What are the foods not to eat at the same time ?
In the food combining method, certain combinations will be avoided.
- The first combination to avoid is eating in the same meal foods that are cereals/starches/carbohydrates with a protein. Thus, most traditional dishes based on meat accompanied by potatoes, pasta, or rice are avoided. The digestion of starches can be affected by the simultaneous presence of proteins. The method also advises against, for example, a slice of buckwheat bread with an egg.
- "Eat the" fruits only, "outside of meals and never as dessert is one of the foundations of the food combining method. It is also one of the simplest rules to apply for many of us.
- When necessary, one can go further and separate, for example, sweet fruits (banana, mango) from acidic fruits (citrus, berries).
But remember, everything is a matter of balance, adapting to your individual needs, and personalization.
To summarize:
- Testing the main principles of food combining: separating starches from proteins, eating fruits alone.
- To go further with the method, simplify your meals.
- Test gradually, observe what suits you and keep the pleasure of cooking.
I accompany you during individual consultations and workshops on this path to dietary balance.
