The Food Combining Method
The Food Combining concept is based on the premise that certain food groups should, and should not, be consumed together in order to improve digestion and nutrient absorption.
The Food Combining Principles, put simply
Fruit alone
Fruit is the quickest food group to digest in our system (20-30 mins). When we have fruit salad for dinner for example, the fruit will sit on top of the heavier dinner, waiting to get digest. The fruit, in its holding period, will ferment, causing bloat, indigestion, gas, etc.
Isolate animal proteins from starches
Our digestive juices break down animal proteins and starches differently and having them together wreaks havoc on your digestive system (which already utilizes an enormous amount of your body's energy). When we do this, we cause our food to not get digested effectively or at all, causing bloat, gas, indigestion constipation, etc.
Raw, leafy greens before cooked foods
Raw vegetables aid the digestive enzymes in breaking down cooked food. It acts as an 'alkaline reserve' so that the acidity and difficulty of breaking down the cooked food to follow is mitigated and digestion time is cut in half.
Structure your meals from lightest to heaviest
The goal of Food Combining is to work WITH our bodies and to thrive. We want to consume lighter meals during the day so that the food moves through your system with ease and you're able to maximize your day and thrive off of your body's natural energy. Improper digestion is also at play when we're stacking one heavier meal on top of another (even hours apart), leading to, you guessed it, bloating, indigestion, gas, etc.