Mom’s Soap Box

Proper food combining is a system of eating foods that combine together efficiently to assist digestion so that your digestive tract does not have to work so hard to give you the nutrients you need for energy. You can learn the basics with 3 simple guidelines.

#1) Eat Fruits Alone on an Empty Stomach
Start your morning with a glass of warm water and lemon juice to hydrate your body and cleanse and tone your digestive system. Lemon and lime juice can be eaten with animal protein for flavor and to enhance digestion.

These four grain-like seeds, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat and millet, are high in protein, gluten-free, rich in B vitamins and feed the beneficial bacteria in your digestive system.

Here is some more essential details on each:

Amaranth - contains B vitamins, calcium, iron and Vitamin C. Amaranth may help lower cholesterol.

Buckwheat - rich in flavonoids like rutin and a good source of magnesium, buckwheat is good for your cardiovascular system. It’s a valuable food for those with diabetes, as it can be helpful for regulating blood sugar.

Millet - a good source of manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium, millet is beneficial for your heart.

Quinoa - a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorous, and riboflavin (B2). Quinoa may be helpful if you have migraines, diabetes or atherosclerosis.

When you eat proteins like poultry, fish, meat, and eggs, your stomach secretes hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin to break down the food in a highly acidic environment. When you eat starches like potatoes or bread, your stomach secretes the enzyme ptyalin to create an alkaline condition.

Non-Starchy Vegetables Include: Leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, bok choy, cabbage, celery, lettuces, green beans, garlic, fennel, onions, chives, turnips, sprouts, red radish, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, beets.
Non-starchy vegetables digest well in acid OR alkaline environments, so they go with anything.

Fats and Oils: Choose organic, unrefined and extra virgin oils like flax seed, pumpkin seed, olive or coconut oils. Combine With: Vegetables, grains and protein. Avoid large amounts of fat with protein (like the mayonnaise in tuna salad) because it slows digestion. Instead, use a small amount of oil to cook and oil free dressings.

Protein Fats: Avocado, olives, seeds, and nuts (except peanuts and chestnuts, which are starches), cheese and milk, are also protein fats. Combine With: Non-starchy vegetables and sour fruits.

Dried Peas, Beans, and Soybeans: These foods are mainly a starch combined with a small amount of protein and are difficult to digest. This helps explain why many people have problems with gas and bloating immediately after eating them. Combine With: Non-starchy vegetables

Some Final Notes:

Wait 3 hours after eating a grain-based meal before you have a protein meal.

After a protein meal, give yourself 4 hours to fully digest. (You may even want to try all grain meals one day and all protein meals the next.)

Preparing Grains:
It is always recommended that you soak any grains or grain-like seeds for a minimum of 8 hours. 24 hours is even better. Grains have phytic acid in them (as do nuts, beans and other seeds) that makes them difficult to break down in your digestive system. Since most people have weak digestive systems, eating grains without soaking them could cause symptoms of digestive upset.

Eating raw cruciferous vegetables actually suppresses your thyroid’s hormone production, creating fatigue, coldness in your body and a slowing of your metabolism. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, radishes, rutabagas and turnips.