Website design By BotEap.comCan you eat fruits with or after a meal? What proteins can be combined with starchy foods? Does any food slow down your digestive rate? Do you have to avoid some food combinations?
Website design By BotEap.comThese are some questions that I will try to address in this article. I have also outlined the reasons why some food combinations are beneficial and why some of them should be strictly avoided.
Website design By BotEap.comBefore we understand the rules regarding the best and worst food combinations, let’s define each food category:
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Website design By BotEap.comStarchy foods: pasta, bread, cereals, cereals, potatoes / sweet potatoes, winter squash, or pumpkin
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Website design By BotEap.comNon-starchy foods: asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, onions, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, broccoli, celery, eggplant, mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, bell peppers, or zucchini
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Website design By BotEap.comProteins: chicken, beef, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, beans, legumes, or soy products like tofu.
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Website design By BotEap.comFruits: Includes all acidic, less acidic fruits and sweet melons.
Website design By BotEap.comLet’s look at some food pairings or combinations to avoid:
Website design By BotEap.com1. Latte and croissant:
Website design By BotEap.comThis breakfast combination consists of processed foods like croissants, which are lacking in fiber. This combination increases blood insulin levels and can cause a serious drop in blood sugar. It further slows energy production in cells and allows the liver to store excess calories as fat instead of using them for fuel.
Website design By BotEap.comAs an alternative, it’s best to include a whole grain English muffin and black coffee for breakfast. This combination is rich in fiber and low in fat. The caffeine in black coffee will help cells burn fat faster, while the whole grain muffin will cause a slow release of energy.
Website design By BotEap.com2. Fruits with a meal:
Website design By BotEap.comFruits are a rich source of sugar and can break down at a faster rate compared to a heavy meal, consisting of meat, vegetables, starch, etc. This leads to a fermentation reaction in your stomach and causes many digestive problems.
Website design By BotEap.comSimilarly, the combination of some fruits with dairy can cause bloating. Avoid eating citrus fruits with milk, however, you can eat dates and milk. Fruits should be eaten individually and not with other foods. The best time to eat fruits is in the morning, on an empty stomach, with a glass of water, as it helps to detoxify your body. You can also enjoy a fruit as an afternoon snack instead of reaching for those fries!
Website design By BotEap.com3. Dairy products with meat, fruits or vegetables.
Website design By BotEap.comMilk should be consumed alone. You can use some spices like cinnamon and cardamom to enhance the flavor of the milk. Avoid using milk with acidic foods. The acidic nature of these fruits curdles the milk in the stomach and can lead to many digestive problems. You can eat dates and milk.
Website design By BotEap.comDairy products such as cheese and yogurt with fish, eggs, beans, meat, etc., should not be combined.
Website design By BotEap.comOn the other hand, clarified butter or ghee can be used to cook vegetables, as it shows similar properties to cooking oil.
Website design By BotEap.com4. Beans with dairy, eggs, fish, meat, or fruit.
Website design By BotEap.comAlthough beans are very beneficial and produce vital micronutrients like iron and magnesium, they contain a large amount of soluble fiber, which can lead to flatulence. The combination of this food product with meat, eggs or dairy can be very difficult to digest and can cause bloating.
Website design By BotEap.comInstead, combine the beans with nuts, other beans, vegetables, or lentils. These need to be cooked well to aid in digestion.
Website design By BotEap.com5. Melons with other foods:
Website design By BotEap.comMelons should always be eaten alone or not eaten at all. They MUST NOT be combined with dairy products, cereals, fried foods, eggs, or starchy foods.
Website design By BotEap.comSo, in summary, some of the food combining rules are as follows:
Website design By BotEap.com1. Foods that CAN be combined:
Website design By BotEap.com• Starchy foods can be combined with non-starchy foods.
Website design By BotEap.com2. Food combinations to avoid:
Website design By BotEap.com• Starchy foods and proteins
Website design By BotEap.com• A form of protein with a different form
Website design By BotEap.com3. Some foods you MUST EAT ALONE
Website design By BotEap.com• Melons
Website design By BotEap.com• Dairy products
Website design By BotEap.comThese rules are based on the fact that all the different categories of food are digested at different rates and generate different by-products. For example, starchy and non-starchy foods can be combined together since they can be digested at the same pH level; while starches and proteins are digested at different pH levels.
Website design By BotEap.comAlso, some foods, such as fruits, are digested faster than protein and therefore must be eaten separately. If combined, it can overload the digestive system and decrease its efficiency.
Website design By BotEap.comLet’s look at an example of an ideal food combination:
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Breakfast: May include a fruit bowl with bananas, berries, or grapefruit
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Mid-morning snack: A whole grain toast with avocado, scrambled eggs or vegetables. (Do not add cheese as 2 proteins should be avoided and dairy is eaten separately as well.) You can have a cup of coffee alone.
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Lunch: A tofu or chicken salad with vegetables like lettuce, peppers, etc. You can also use a vinaigrette or olive oil dressing on the salad.
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Afternoon / evening snack: It can include a fruit like apple or pear. It should be 2-3 hours before dinner.
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Dinner: Brown rice with any protein of your choice.
Website design By BotEap.comThese food combinations are based on ancient Ayurvedic theories about which foods work best. Although not all the rules can be followed in practice, you can always do your best to incorporate some of these rules into your daily life. Remember to include a wide variety of foods in your diet to get the maximum amount of nutrients.
