Why do we get indigestion and stomach discomfort when we eat foods in the wrong order?

This is because different foods require different mediums for optimum digestion. According to Dr Herbert M. Shelton, digestion is impaired or compromised when food digestive chemistry in the stomach is disrupted.

Starchy foods require the enzyme ptyalin (which is found in saliva) to digest. This is alkaline, and thus starches digest best in an alkaline environment.

Protein foods require hydrochloric acid; in other words, an acidic environment.

And hence, if we mix proteins and starches together, the digestive mediums cancel each other out, resulting in a stalled or impaired digestive process.

Indigestion can create havoc for the body. Besides being unable to fully absorb vitamins and minerals from food, the body also suffers from gas, discomfort and bloating.

Bulks of undigested food particles are breeding ground for bad bacteria, when bad bacteria outgrows good bacteria, intestinal tracts cannot function optimally and immunity can be greatly compromised. In addition to this, the by-products of managing these undigested food masses produces gas and alcohol which affects nerve functions.

If you want to reap the benefits of optimal digestion and assimilation, try to keep to the following simple steps of food combining:

1) Separate acidic and starchy foods. Acidic foods will neutralize the alkaline medium required to digest starches. If you eat these together, digestion is stalled, fermentation takes place and results in flatulence.

2) Separate proteins from starches. Proteins require an acidic medium while starches require an alkaline medium.

3) When eating proteins, keep to just 1 type of protein.

4) Always eat fruit (which requires little to no digestion) before meat proteins (which requires an acidic medium to digest) to avoid flatulence.

5) Separate fats from proteins because fats require hours for digestion. When eating nuts especially, try to soak the nuts beforehand to help break down the fats.

6) Separate all sugars (including fruits!) from proteins. Fruits require typically no digestion at all while proteins take much longer. If mixed with something which slows them down, the fruits will rot and produce discomfort and gas.

7) Separate fruits and starches - because of the same reason that fruits move much faster.

Eat water melons and honey melons alone. The only thing that combines well with melons is greens, and almost no other food!

It is interesting to know that greens combine well with almost any food. If you add greens to either fruits, starches or proteins, there are no unpleasant indigestion symptoms.

Another great reason to have more of those lovely organic raw greens, isn’t it?

(C) Copyright 2009, Linda Loo

Tags: vegan weight loss, raw food diet, low fat recipes, raw food recipes