Ya learn something new every day.
So my good friend and photographer Eva Mueller is a raw foodie and hipped me to this today. It is all about how foods combine with on another to aid digestion and the assimilation of nutrients into our body. The foods you eat together should basically take the same amount of time to be digested, hence they can also be eliminated at the same time. So the foods that metabolize quickly when combined with foods that take longer have to wait to be eliminated, and if it can’t be digested it starts to ferment in your system. Not sexy. So here are the Moses like tablets that are the commandments to combining.
Experiment with these food combining techniques and see if you notice a
difference.
The table below shows some basic food
categories in a raw food diet. The basic rule
is to eat from one category at a time.
Some categories can be combined and still digest well while others should be avoided.
Some Basic Rules:
- Always eat melons alone. Melons combine with almost no other food.
- Drink ALL juices alone.
- Fresh fruit should be eaten alone or on an empty stomach. It’s best to only combine fruits from their own category.
Good Combinations:
- Acid Fruits AND Sub-Acid Fruits.
- Sub-Acid Fruits AND Sweet Fruits.
- Starches AND Vegetables & Greens.
- Vegetables & Greens AND Proteins.
Approximate Digestion Times
| FRUITS Melons & Juices (15 – 30 Min) |
FRUITS Acid (1.5 – 2 Hrs) |
FRUITS Sub-Acid (1 – 1.5 Hrs) |
FRUITS Sweet & Sweeteners (30 – 45 Min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantaloupe | Apples, Sour | Apples | Agave Nectar |
| Honeydew | Cranberries | Apricots | Bananas |
| Juices | Grapefruit | Berries | Berries, Sweet |
| Watermelon | Grapes, Sour | Cherries | Cherries, Sweet |
| Wheatgrass Juice | Lemons | Dates | Grapes, Sweet |
| Legumes, Sprouted | Limes | Figs, Fresh | Honey, Raw |
| Oranges | Mangos | Molasses | |
| Pineapple | Nectarines | Pears | |
| Plums, Sour | Papaya | Persimmon | |
| Pomegranite | Peaches | Yacon Syrup | |
| Strawberries | Pears | ||
| Strawberries12345 | Tomatoes Unspr |
| Starches
(2 – 3 Hrs) |
Vegetables & Greens (2 – 2 Hrs) |
High Protein
(4+ Hrs) |
Fats
(3 – 4 Hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocados | Artichokes | Blue-Green Algae | Avocados |
| Beans | Asparagus | Dried Fruit | Coconut Oil |
| Brown Rice | Beets | Legumes, Unsprouted | Flaxseed Oil |
| Carrots | Blue-Green Algae | Mature Coconut | Hemp Oil |
| Corn | Broccoli | Nuts, Raw | Olive Oil |
| Grains, Sprouted | Brussels Sprouts | Olives | Olives |
| Jicama | Cabbage | Seeds, Raw | Safflower Oil |
| Legumes, Sprouted | Cauliflower | Sesame Oil | |
| Parsnip | Celery | Sunflower Oil | |
| Potatos | Chives | ||
| Squash, Winter | Corn, Raw | ||
| Sweet Potatos | Cucumbers | ||
| Turnip | Eggplant | ||
| Young Coconut | Green Beans | ||
| Leafy Greens | |||
| Leeks | |||
| Okra | |||
| Onions | |||
| Peppers | |||
| Radishes | |||
| Sea vegetables | |||
| Squash, Summer | |||
| Zucchini |
Exceptions:
- Lemons and Limes combine with Starches, Vegetables & Greens, Proteins, and Fats.
- Avocados combine with Sub-Acid Fruit.
- Cucumbers combine with Fats.
- Tomatoes combine with Starches, Vegetables & Greens, and Fats.
Other Tips:
- Chew all food as thoroughly as possible before swallowing. We assimilate only foods which are the most liquified.
- Cold foods, including liquids, inhibit digestion, so keep that in mind when adding ice to your drinks!
- Soaking nuts releases enzyme inhibitors, making them more digestible.
- Use what works for you! These food combining tips aren’t set in stone! Everybody is different. Listen to your body!