Everything You Need to Know About Food Combining According to a Dietitian
Food combining has been a buzzy nutrition topic for years, but the practice has been going on a lot longer than you think — Ayurveda, a traditional health system in India, recognized the importance of proper food combining over 3,000 years ago! One of the core principles of Ayurveda revolves around the fact that digestion is essential for good health — a topic we can all get behind today. Here, different ways of looking at this complex — kind of controversial— style of eating. The Origin of Food Combining According to Ayurveda, different types of foods have different digestive requirements and not combining them in the right ways can lead to digestive distress, which impedes overall health. Ayurveda categorizes foods into six tastes and three energies, and advocates for eating foods that balance each other out. (For example, sweet foods can be balanced with sour foods, and hot foods can be balanced with cold foods.) In addition to Ayurveda devotees, many other health practitioners have explored the importance of food combining. In the 1800s, a French physician named Antoine Bechamp developed the theory that certain foods should not be consumed together because they would create an unfavorable environment in the body. In the 20th century, famous nutritionist Adelle Davis was a key advocate of thoughtful food combining— a trend that became more widespread in the 1980s when many books were published on the topic. When you distill the various principles, food combination essentially divides foods into three components: taste, energy and post-digestive effects. Taste refers to the six flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. According to Ayurveda, each flavor has a unique effect on the body and can influence our digestive systems, hormones and energy levels. To optimize digestion and nutrient absorption, that system recommends including all six tastes in each meal in appropriate proportions— a balanced meal might include sweet potatoes (sweet), kale (bitter), and chicken (pungent). Energy refers to the effect that a food has on the body—heating, cooling, and neutral. The thinking being is that eating too many “heating” foods, such as spicy dishes or excessive amounts of red meat, can cause inflammation and digestive issues. Conversely, eating too many “cooling” foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, can weaken the digestive fire and impede nutrient absorption. Balance is the goal here. Post-digestive effects refer to the impact that a food has on our bodies after digestion. For example, some foods leave an acidic influence in our bodies, while others have an alkalizing effect. Again, maintaining a healthy pH balance in the body is the goal. The question is: Are all of these balancing acts valid from a health standpoint? RELATED: Diets Decoded: The Ayurvedic Diet What Science Say About Food Combining There’s a limited amount of rigorous scientific research on food combining. The available studies often only draw from small sample sizes and lack control groups or suffer other methodological issues. Many of the positive claims come from anecdotal reports rather than well-designed research. Those proponents suggest that certain people might have specific digestive issues that make food combining beneficial for them. Here’s what we do know: Digestive Enzyme Compatibility: One of the key tenets of food combining is the belief that proteins and carbohydrates require different digestive enzymes that are incompatible. However, the human digestive system is designed to handle a variety of foods simultaneously. For example, the stomach produces hydrochloric acid and pepsin, which help digest proteins. At the same time, amylase, which breaks down carbohydrates, is secreted in saliva and works in the stomach and small intestine. Alkaline vs Acidic Foods: This idea is not supported by scientific evidence. The stomach’s acidic environment (with a pH of 1.5-3.5) is capable of digesting both acidic and alkaline foods. Weight Loss Potential: Most likely, any weight loss experienced from a diet that revolves around food combining is likely due to a reduction in caloric intake rather than the specific combination of foods. No high-quality studies have shown that food combining diets are more effective for weight loss than other diets with similar calorie and macronutrient compositions. In fact, an International Journal of Obesity study found that a food-combining diet did not achieve any additional weight loss or fat loss compared to a balanced diet made up of proteins, fats, and carbs. The complexity deepens as some enthusiasts also consider the varying digestion rates of certain foods. The notion that fruits can hinder digestion when paired with protein and fat stems from this disparity. A divergence arises as protein and fat take longer to break down compared to carbohydrates like fruit. Consequently, the carbohydrates in fruit linger in the digestive tract for an extended period, leading to undesirable fermentation and digestive discomfort. Pairing fruits with proteins and fats, however, can be advantageous for digestion, particularly in regulating blood sugar levels. Consuming carbohydrates in isolation results in rapid breakdown and subsequent spikes in blood sugar levels. Conversely, when accompanied by slow-digesting foods such as proteins and fats, the digestion of carbohydrates slows down, resulting in a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels. This capability aids in averting drastic blood sugar fluctuations, fostering improved digestion. RELATED: Food Combining: The Facts And 5 Combos That Make Sense For Your Health And Life The Bottom Line On Food Combining As with many dietary approaches, what works best can vary. If someone finds that a certain way of eating makes them feel better, they might choose to continue with it, provided it doesn’t lead to any nutrient deficiencies or other health issues. For specific populations, such as people with blood sugar management needs (like people with diabetes), eating foods higher in protein and healthy fat before a higher carb item such as fruit has shown to be beneficial for insulin control. One potential universal downside? Food combining can make meal planning even more complicated and restrictive — and that’s no small thing to consider in and of itself. It’s a good idea to consult with a healthcare or
6 Foods that Boost Happiness and Taste Great
Shake Shack burgers and cupcakes may be on your personal list of in-the-moment mood-boosting foods. We get it. But it’s also possible to find (longer-lasting!) happiness via healthy foods. (And the aforementioned will likely bum you out over the long-term, thanks to inflammation and gut-brain communication.) These foods are all great for your body overall and contain nutrients with research-tested mood benefits, like compounds shown to reduce the risk of depression and vitamins that stimulate neurotransmitter production. Of course, when you’re not sitting down to eat, you’ve got to adopt happiness-promoting habits like endorphin-stimulating exercise and consistently getting enough sleep. But your plate is a great place to start when it comes to working on that smile. Bonus: Eat these foods in the company of a friend who makes you LOL non-stop. 6 Mood-Boosting Foods for Happiness 1. Walnuts While the research isn’t definitive, several studies have shown omega-3s can help relieve symptoms of depression, and walnuts are a great source of the healthy fats. RELATED: How to Incorporate Omega-3s Into Every Meal 2. Lentils Lentils are rich in folate, which helps maintain normal levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is seriously linked to mood. 3. Mango Mangoes contain more vitamin C than oranges, and that’s not just good for your immune system (although who’s happy when they’re sick?!). Vitamin C may also fight depression by helping the body recover faster from stress. 4. Oysters Mmm…summer on the half shell. These delicious, nutritious bivalves are one of nature’s richest sources of zinc, and some research has shown the mineral may help your body manage stress and improve mood among people suffering from depression. 5. Yogurt Guys, you’ve heard about the gut-brain connection, right? Maintaining a thriving microbiome is key to happiness. Recent studies have shown mice given probiotics were able to handle stressors while remaining calm, and probiotics reversed symptoms of depression in mice. Yogurt (ideally organic!) is a great source of probiotics (and of course a morning protein-boost). RELATED: The Gut-Brain Connection and How It Impacts Your Health 6. Shiitake Mushrooms Shiitakes are linked to reducing inflammation, a condition linked to depression. They also contain selenium and magnesium, two minerals closely tied to mood. Start adding these foods to your diet alongside stress-fighting foods, and you’ll be calm and content 24-7.
Should You Avoid High-Cholesterol Foods?
Q: I’ve been hearing mixed things: Does eating high-cholesterol foods lead to high cholesterol in the body? For a long time, doctors and dietitians’ advice was to skip high-cholesterol foods. But just like we discovered eating fats doesn’t always make you fat (yay!), research increasingly confirms that cholesterol in food doesn’t necessarily raise cholesterol levels in your blood. We’ve known this for a while, but I still get this question from clients and readers. (There’s also lots of new evidence on how saturated fat affects cholesterol, which I’ll definitely get into in another post, soon.) What does raise cholesterol? Eating fried foods and tons of sugar. (You’re not really surprised by that one, right?) RELATED: Why Healthy Fats Don’t Make You Fat Cholesterol in the Body Here’s a quick review of the high school science you slept through: Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, but too much cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for heart disease and strokes. There are two kinds of cholesterol: LDL, known as “bad” cholesterol, and HDL, known as “good” cholesterol. Increased LDL in the blood leads to the buildup of plaque, which narrows blood vessel walls (arteries) and restricts blood flow. If a clot blocks the flow of blood to your heart, a heart attack results; if it restricts blood flow to your brain, a stroke results. Recent research has also pointed specifically to oxidized cholesterol (from sources like fried foods) as a major contributor to heart disease, via contributing to calcium buildup on artery walls and interrupting blood flow. Age, family history, diet, and exercise can all affect the level of cholesterol in your blood. Which brings us to… Cholesterol in Food Some foods from animal sources naturally contain high doses of cholesterol, but research has not demonstrated a link between eating those foods and increased risk of heart disease or stroke. Foods that are high in cholesterol but are healthy? Eggs, cheese (portion-controlled, please!), grass-fed butter, and shrimp. RELATED: Is Clarified Butter Healthy? Foods that are linked to raising blood cholesterol levels include fried foods, trans fats (particularly partially hydrogenated oils), and sugar. Trans fats and tons of sugar tend to be hiding in processed, packaged foods and fast food, and you already know those aren’t going to help your overall health anyway. The bottom line? Save yourself time by not worrying about “grams of cholesterol” and just stick to a whole food diet filled with veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats. Whatever you do, stay away from the deep fryer—but go ahead, put a little grass-fed butter in your coffee if you love the creamy taste.
What Are Antioxidants and Are They Really That Important?
Ask Keri: What Are Antioxidants, and How Do They Fit Into My Healthy Lifestyle? Keri says: Over the past decade, the term “antioxidant” has basically become shorthand for healthy. Ask someone to explain why a superfood is super? Antioxidants. How to reduce inflammation in the body? Antioxidants. How to prevent disease? Antioxidants. But people often ask me this question: What are antioxidants, really? And are they as important as food manufacturers, nutritionists and scientists make them out to be? Here are the basic facts on the powerful nutrients, which, yes, you really do want all up in your diet 24-7. What Are Antioxidants, and What Do They Do? Many nutrients fall into the category of antioxidants (the “good guys”). These include vitamins A, C and E, and minerals such as selenium, copper and zinc. Most are found in plants—including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, herbs and spices—and in foods with healthy fats like nuts, and beverages like tea and coffee. Put simply, antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from the harmful effects of molecules called free radicals (the “bad guys”). Free radicals are produced when your body breaks down food. They can also be the result of environmental exposures such as tobacco smoke, the sun, radiation, or chemicals found in food and skin-care products. Think of a free radical as a pinball careening around inside your body, constantly smashing into other cells, disrupting normal cell functioning. The cells can’t do their jobs properly because these guys keep storming the gates. If the body isn’t able to defend itself and the free-radical production becomes excessive, it leads to damage that contributes to aging (yes, including wrinkles), heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. Antioxidants are the first line of defense to prevent that from happening. I like to think of them as little molecules flying through our bloodstreams wearing capes, like superheroes. When they encounter free radicals, they neutralize them (by using their powers to do things like donate electrons to balance out the unpaired electrons that cause the free radicals to wreak havoc, but that’s getting technical). How To Include Antioxidants in Your Diet All of that is to say that these molecules really are pretty incredible, and eating foods that contain them as often as possible is a great idea. One way to determine a food’s antioxidant power is by checking its ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score. The ORAC scale is a way to determine which foods are richest in antioxidants. It essentially measures how well the components of a food mop up free radicals in the bloodstream. It’s not a perfect scale, but it is a reference point. Here’s a tip. You’ll find the highest antioxidant values attached to colorful, plant-based foods such as blueberries, kale, cinnamon, turmeric and … dark chocolate! In other words, most antioxidants are found in the healthy foods you should be eating anyway for other important nutrients. This is why your overall focus should be on maintaining a nutrient-dense diet that’s filled with a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains and spices. This way, you’ll be taking in a variety of powerful antioxidants naturally, without going overboard at every meal. (Images: Adam Jaime, Mikey Boyle via Unsplash)
