I get a lot of questions about food combining and I haven’t covered this topic in the past. And it is simply because the food combining theory biologically and scientifically doesn’t make any sense. Although we have touched the food combining theory during my health coach studies. And even when some people with digestive complaints may benefit from avoiding certain food combinations. However, there is actually no scientific or biological reason to not combine for instance fruits and veggies in a delicious green smoothie.
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What Is food Combining
The food combining theory states that certain foods when combined can cause digestive issues and toxin build-up. Enzymes are used by the body to digest food. Different kinds of foods need different enzymes to break the pieces down into smaller nutrients our body can absorb and use as building blocks.
According to the food combining theory, our body is unable to produce these different kinds of enzymes at the same time, resulting in undigested waste material build-ups in our colon and messed up digestion.
Big no-no’s are combining fat and protein, protein and carbs, and fruits should not be combined with vegetables or any other food. Even some fruits can’t be combined like oranges (acidic fruits) and bananas (sweet fruits).
We break most of these food combining rules on a daily basis and our health has never been better. No digestive complaints or major symptoms of a polluted colon.
Food Combining Myth
Food combining has never been scientifically proven and rests on the assumptions made by pseudo-scientists. These days many people can call themselves a holistic health coach or nutrition expert without a decent background in anatomy and physiology of the human body. As a biologist, I have had a great deal in both of these and I have always looked at food combining with a suspicious eye when the topic came up during my holistic health coach studies.
To set things straight, there is no scientific proof that eating protein and crabs or combining fruits and veggies in a smoothie will wreak havoc on your digestive health. Unless you have certain digestive problems or diseases.
Another thing to mention, if you can’t combine carbs and protein this would mean we shouldn’t eat quinoa or beans either, as they contain both these nutrients. Same for avocados, where fats and protein are combined.
Actually, almost all fruits and vegetables are a combination of carbs, protein, and fat, so if the food combining theory would be true, we couldn’t eat any of these without polluting our colon or causing digestive complaints.
Take Home Message
If you have a normal, healthy working gut there is no problem in combing most foods (healthy, whole foods, of course, no processed crap). Some people, however, may benefit from avoiding certain combinations to improve digestion and health.
Many digestive complaints are caused by allergies or intolerances, not chewing enough, sudden dietary changes or underlying health problems, and not through improper food combinations.
So instead of losing yourself in these combining theories, try to find out what is causing your issues and address the root cause instead of complicating things through food combining methods that don’t make any sense.
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Thanks for reading. I hope this information was helpful. Until next time!
Amy Goodrich
Crazy cat lady, life and food lover, certified biologist, and holistic health coach.
