Does food combining help?

[Andre]

I've been searching the net for ideas and bumped into many sites that recommend food combining (had to change the spelling, lol) for raw foodists.

For example. Here is a simple chart I've found:
Food Combining Chart (http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/pdf/foodcombining.pdf)

Is it necessary?

Thanks

[*AHIMSA*]

I've been searching the net for ideas and bumped into many sites that recommend food combing for raw foodists.


Food combining might help some. I can't speak to "combing" ones food though. :p

[Irizary]

I don't think it's that important as a general rule, especially for veg raw foodists. I think the idea is that different foods require different enzymes to digest, and you don't want to make the body work too hard, or it's less efficient... I could see it more with, say fruit and meat, than with raw veg foods.

[Brandon]

Andre, I fixed the title for you. :up:

[Tom]

Thatoneguy, I remember "Diet For A Small Planet"- in fact, I still have it. It's true the author decided it wasn't really necessary for vegetarians to combine foods in order to avoid protein deficiency, but as far as I know, the idea still works in theory: a mixture of different foods might have a balance of amino acids closer to that in the body, and be used more effiiently if there WERE a protein shortage.

I still tend to eat that way because I like to: oatmeal tastes better with soy milk; beans and either wholegrain bread or brown rice make a more interesting meal together than just beans or grain alone.

Irizary, I was going to ask what the rationale of that chart was. Thanks. I don't know about some of it though... the environment of the stomach itself is quite acidic, so I don't understand how it would make much difference whether a meal of mixed fruit and/or vegetables was "sweet" or "sour" to begin with. I suppose drinking a glass of sodium bicarbonate solution could affect digestion, though- or the calcium supplement I sometimes take (that's also quite alkaline).

And starchy foods with proteins taste good to me. Besides, many vegetarian foods contain both- grains and beans, for example: both starchy (except maybe for soybeans, which have fat), but usually with moderate to considerable protein content.

[Doktormartini]

I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn't eat a lot of fruits and veggies together because fruits digest more quickly than vegetables (probably because they have more water/juice in them??).

[Zasko]

Food combining becomes more a myth each year. Especially for raw diets. The only common approach I ever hear from various sources is to drink green smoothies (greens + fruit!) with some fat to enhance absorbtion. Food combining is much more important to a chef. Worrying too much about incorrect combinations will upset your stomach. ;)