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Hello. Does anyone follow food combining principles (like only eating fruit by itself, etc.)? I like to make raw desserts with nuts and dates but these are not good combos according to what I have been reading. Just wondering if it is beneficial (I am curious but don't want to take too much on at once...). Thank you for the help!:)
What is it that you've been reading?
Just the different sites that come up on the internet. And, Marilu Henner has a book on it. I have not read any 'scientific' books on it yet.
It's the first time I've really looked into it, here's what wikipedia has to say on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_combiningQuote:
Many of the assumptions used to justify food combining are not supported by biological and medical science, and there is currently little evidence supporting real-world success for these theories. One randomized controlled trial has been reported in the peer-reviewed medical literature, which found no evidence that food-combining principles were effective in promoting weight loss.[1]
Now my question is, is there any reliable scientific research that supports the food combining theory? If there isn't then I don't see a reason for following it.
it does make a difference risker..are you playing devil's avocado?
i can't make sciency techy words..but fruit should be eaten on its own..and proteins don't digest well with carbs.
the combos won;t kill you but for digesting optimumness..avoid eating carbs with proteins..its why you feel like a 5 hour nap after eating a big dinner..cos your insides are struggling insanely to digest it all so half your body shuts down..yeah!
Thanks for replying. What are vegan protein sources that should not be combined with starches? I know there is protein in veges and grains and they can be combined together. Also, beans and grains combine to make a 'complete protein'. But, what would be a vegan protein source? Any thoughts? (Meat is the obvious culprit not to mix with starch but meat is out anyway...). Thank you for any thoughts.
hi. :)
I think it really depends on the individual to which extend food combining is effective. I don't really feel all that tired when I combine proteins and carbs, and I don't get extra gassy when I eat fruit before a meal or combine fruits, but it really seems to effect other people.
vegan protein sources:
tofu, beans, nuts, seitan, tempeh etc.
No, I'm playing don't believe every article on the net you read.Quote:
emmapresley
and I see that every article on the net you read is winning.
A lot of raw vegans practice food combining (from what I've read). I practice it to an extent, like I don't eat fruit with a meal, but more like an hour or more ahead of time. I do mix protein and starches, like legumes, seeds, beans, nuts, etc with other things. It doesn't really bother me. I think food combining is more important for some than others depending on their digestive systems. I have a sensitive digestive system so I can't eat too much protein at once. Its an individual thing.
Thank you for the responses. It does make sense that it depends on the person's digestive system. I know that there are some things I have eaten (when I was not vegan) that really caused alot of gas and it just happened to always be when I ate protein and starches together. I will just keep going as a vegan to get comfortable with it and then if I continue with any digestive problems, then try eliminating protein with starches. (I can't imagine not eating tofu with brown rice, but I can still eat it with stir fry veges - yum!). Have a great night everyone :)
I combined rice with bombay potato with tikka masala with samosas with onion bhajis with chipatti this lunch time. I can thoroughly recommend it.
Flibble, you just had to post this delicious sounding amazing meal, didnt you?:p
FYI..i actually haven't read any articles on the net about this. imo it is just common sense??Quote:
Risker
i know personally that i feel better when i eat stuff in a 'food combined' way.
merriweather..if it works for you..then you crack on. :smile:
Emma - thanks baby girl. :)
I don't see how it's common sense, to me, food combining is along the lines of what Mr Flibble mentioned. You say you haven't read any articles on it (or do you just mean on the net?) yet you say not to eat carbohydrates with proteins? Where did you get that from?Quote:
emmapresley
I had just heard that it's best to eat fruit alone and wait at least 30 minutes before eating something else. Something about letting it process so it doesn't rot in your stomach by dumping more food on top of it. Not sure if I buy that theory or not but sigh I do tend to follow that one rule of eating fruit alone. Everything else I do what I want. LOL!!
Count me in with Risker:
Maybe we should only eat our foods alphabetically or by the order of the colors of the rainbow; ROYGBIV? [people in the southern hemisphere would of course have to reverse that.]:rolleyes:Quote:
No, I'm playing don't believe every article on the net you read.
and I see that every article on the net you read is winning.
Francis Moore Lappe, who wrote the vegetarian, ground breaking book Diet for a Small Planet in the 70's, advocated food combining (such as beans with rice) so as to eat a complete balance of all the essential amino acids found in plant proteins, beans being heavy in some, with rice being heavy in the others....She now has completely recanted that position and admits that as long as we eat a varied diet, the amino acids from Monday's diet are still available and usable with the new ones that come in on Wednesday's diet. They don't have to be in the same actual meal at all. I guess a lot of people read her first book, stuck with it, and never read any of her revisions.
Her book was one of the most important ones I have ever read and discusses all sorts of other veg*n themes besides this one like the inefficiency of protein conversion and water waste associated with livestock. I probably wouldn't be here, a vegan, if I hadn't read her book. [I met her once by chance and was thrilled.]
I don't think that protein-combining thing is what people are talking about Mahk - "food combining" usually seems to mean NOT combining certain foods, e.g. eating fruit separately from other stuff, as described in the Wikipedia article.
I don't buy the explanations I've read about why it works (about foods needing to be digested separately etc) but I'm prepared to believe some people may feel better eating that way for reasons that aren't yet understood. It doesn't seem to make any difference to me personally though e.g. whether I eat fruit on its own or before or after other stuff.
A friend of mine reckoned she lost some weight by following food-combining principles simply because she found it quite restrictive and ended up eating less.
Harpy, thanks. I see it is as you said really food not combining. Combos to avoid that is. I dug around a little and found medical and nutritional expert (:rolleyes:) Marilu Henner's site. Some of her recommendations:
"Protein meals are meals that include animal-based protein, such as eggs, turkey, chicken and fish. If you are a vegan, you will not eat any protein meals..."
"Following the 10 Steps will give you Balance, Energy, Stamina, and make you Toxin-free..."
Oh no, those evil "toxins" are back! If only someday science might find a way to identify these elusive, un-named and therefore unmeasurable "toxins".:rolleyes: No detox guru is willing to name any because as soon as they name any specific chemical, science can then measure that their particular regimen (food not combining, lemonade diet, eating foods alphabetically, etc.) has no medical benefits. Yes, I know there are compounds our lungs, liver, and bowel cleanse from our bodies 24/7, but following diet advice from celebrities to supposedly "enhance" that perfectly adequate process is not for me, I'd rather not smoke and eat healthy chemical free foods rather than take their "magic pill" panacea that will cure me of these invisible, unquantifiable evils.
Today's diet gurus' "toxins" are what a century ago we called "evil spirits". Since the FDA and FSA cracked down on all the snake oil and magical panacea elixirs that were marketed to us to cure these evil spirits, the modern age has found celebrity detox diet books to be equally profitable and less prone to litigation since they aren't selling a particular compound, food, or drug, which the FDA/FSA can address; just "medical" advice instead.
I can believe that certain individuals might have digestive problems that are associated with eating a particular food, for example, and yes they should seek a way to avoid this, perhaps cut that food out entirely or combine or not combine it with others, but this doesn't mean the entire population needs to do the same as a general course of action and that's exactly what these diet gurus advocate.
That's my opinion. We are all entitled to one.
yikes!:dizzy: