I have recently heard about “food combining”. I was not really familiar with this so I did a little research that I thought I would share with all of you. Food combining is a way of eating in which you select foods that are compatible with each other in terms of their digestive chemistry. It is based on the fact that certain foods digest differently than others and at different rates. Over two billion dollars is spent on antacids every year and it is almost considered normal to have problems with indigestion. So, food combining looks at the way each food category is digested and combines those that are similar, which in turn eliminates these uncomfortable symptoms and the need for drugs to combat digestive problems.

The chart below shows which foods are meant to be combined together at meals for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients.

(click to enlarge)

As you can see there are many dos and don’ts when it comes to food combining, which can make it difficult for some to stick to. However, with careful planning and knowing the basics, it could be quite simple to prepare your meals. Here is a list of food combining basics, as well as, food digestion times I found on the Alder Brooke Healing Arts website.

*Chew your food well
*Desert desserts or eat them first (recommended to stick with fresh fruit)
*Eat fruit 30-60 minutes before each meal
*Cinnamon sprinkled on fruit helps to lower its glycemic index
*Eat concentrated proteins (meat, poultry, fish and eggs) and starchy carbohydrates (pasta, rice, potatoes, etc) at separate meals
*Eat only one concentrated protein at each meal
*Cold foods (including liquids) may slow digestion
*Beans combined with rice create a whole protein – eat with a fresh vegetable salad (high water content and fiber)
*The small particles of blended greens increase bioavailability and are absorbed well with fruit – try a green smoothie!
*Most importantly eat whole, local, organically grown, seasonal, and fresh

Digestion time (in the stomach):
Water 0-10 mins
Juice 15-30 mins
Fruit and Melon 30-60 mins
Sprouts 1 hour
Wheatgrass juice 60-90 mins
Most vegetables 1-2 hours
Grains and beans 2-3 hours
Dense vegetable protein 2-3 hours
Cooked meat and fish 3-4+ hours
Shellfish 4-8 hours

I found it interesting that you are supposed to eat fruit 30-60 minutes prior to a meal. The reasoning for this is that the fruit prepares the digestive tract for more complex foods. The water rinses and hydrates, the fiber sweeps and cleans, and the enzymes activate chemical digestion. Another note about fruit is that melons should be eaten alone. They do not combine well with any food. It is also recommended that you chew your food to an almost liquid consistency to aid digestion. I have heard this recommendation before and I have been trying to work on my chewing. Taking the time to properly chew your food will slow down your eating, giving your body more time to tell you it’s full, and will help food pass easier through the digestive tract. Many people have even experienced weightloss due to food combining, but it may just be because they are being more mindful of what they eat. However, I say if it works for you, use it!

On the road to South Carolina today! Hopefully I have some good vacation updates for you all tomorrow

Before the agricultural revolution the world was made up of hunter-gatherers. The Paleo diet was created to mimic the way our Paleolithic ancestors ate during this time. The diet consists of lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Professor Loren Cordain recently made the diet popular and explains that obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and numerous other health problems have become the result of consuming refined sugars, grains, saturated and trans fats, and processed foods. He says eating the way we were genetically adapted to would dramatically decrease the prevalence of major health problems most Americans are faced with today. The diet is also stated to provide followers leaner bodies, acne-free skin, improved athletic performance, and relief from metabolic and autoimmune disorders.

The Paleo diet is based on keeping your body at an alkaline state, which is supposed to prevent diseases of acid/base imbalance such as osteoporosis, kidney stones, asthma, hypertension and stroke. It discourages the consumption of grain and dairy and encourages an unlimited amount of fruits and vegetables. One of the unusual parts to the Paleo method is the low emphasis on physical activity. In fact for the first two weeks of the diet it is not recommended that you exercise at all. I found this shocking since our cavemen ancestors were very active on a daily basis while hunting. Cordain has come out with another book titled, Paleo for Athletes, however the original diet is modified to incorporate a few more low-glycemic carbohydrates to account for the physical activity.

So here is my take on the Paleolithic diet. I do not disagree with this form of eating. It promotes a nutritious diet using lean meats and seafood instead of high fat meats and cheeses like other low-carb diets. It encourages unlimited fruits and vegetables to replace processed, high sugar snacks and foods. All of these things are great and I can definitely see how weight loss would occur while following this diet. However, like with other diets, when you eliminate and entire food group (grains, dairy) you are bound to lose weight because you are most likely eating less. However, the downfalls I see with the diet are the long term viability and lack of emphasis on exercise. Cordain encourages that while following the diet you eat mostly organic and grass fed meat. I am all for organic eating, and if you are going to eat meat, then I say free range is the way to go, but it is not highly accessible. Many people do not have access to a Whole Foods type store nor can they afford to shop at the higher prices for these products. So I see long term sustainability as a problem. Also, I am a strong advocate that exercise is a must with any diet or way of life. It is essential for strong muscles, bones, and the day to day functioning of your body. All in all, I would not discourage someone to try out the Paleo way of eating, but as always I encourage you to obtain all the facts and know how to do it properly so you get all of the essential vitamins and nutrients necessary. Also, I recommend you talk with your physician before starting any diet or exercise program.

It was once touted that low fat diets were the way to lose weight. Due to fat having a higher caloric value (9 kcal) compared to carbohydrates and proteins (4 kcals each), many nutrition experts saw cutting fats out of a person’s diet as a way to cut a large amount of calories. We now know that low fat may not be the way to go and that some fats are good for us and essential to the functioning of our bodies.

Fat provides essential fatty acids that are necessary for growth, healthy skin and hair, nerve transmission, various hormonal processes and the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Now before you go make yourself a meal consisting of a cheeseburger and french fries or start eating a stick of butter, you should know that not all fat is created equal. The fats that your body benefits from are healthy monounsaturated fats typically found in avocados, olive oil, nuts, fish, etc, not those found in fast food, bacon, whole fat dairy, or anything fried, which are referred to as saturated or trans fats. Another benefit of having fat in your diet is that it is digested slower, making you feel full longer.

Cutting fat from your diet may be a way to cut calories, but for many people it isn’t. Many people who try a low fat diet actually end up gaining weight! This is due to cutting fat and compensating by eating more carbohydrates, refined sugars, and processed foods. Marketers and food companies have created so many products to prey on people trying to cut fat from their diet. If you walk into a supermarket you will see shelves full of low fat or fat free cookies, crackers, chips, dips, spreads, cheese, and ice cream and people fall for this trap all the time. Most of the time it leads to an high consumption of sugars and eating larger portions of products because of the misconception that it is “guilt free” because it doesn’t contain fat. The truth is, low fat/fat free does not mean low calorie. Fat has a lot of taste, which is why we like it so much. So to cut it from a product the manufacturers have to replace it with something else equally as tasty, usually sugar and we all know what sugar can do to our bodies. (If not read my sugar blog) So the low fat diet is one that I will say I would not recommend, but that’s my opinion. I will say that fat should be consumed in moderation and kept to no more than 30% of your total calories, with saturated fat only accounting for 10% or less.

With the challenge that has arisen between my friend and I, it got me thinking about all the different diets on the market today. There are new ones popping up every week with claims to be the next miracle diet. I’ve decided to delve into a few of the most popular ways of eating and see if the claims live up to their hype. I am not promoting or supporting all of the diets I will write about. I am simply exploring the science behind the claims and letting everyone know the pros and cons of each diet. I want everyone to have the facts before changing their eating habits.* First off, I will explore the Atkins Diet.

The Atkins Diet is a high protein, low carbohydrate diet created by Robert Atkins. It is one that has been under much scrutiny and debate for decades. Atkins based his diet on the belief that the rise in obesity is due to an increase and overconsumption of carbohydrates. The restriction of carbohydrates in the diet send the body into a process known as ketosis. This begins when the body’s insulin levels are low, causing the body to use stored fat for energy instead of glucose from carbohydrates. According to an article on Wikipedia, this is how the process works:

Ketogenic diets rely on the insulin response to blood glucose. Because ketogenic dieters eat few carbohydrates, there is no glucose that can trigger the insulin response. When there is no glucose-insulin response there are some hormonal changes that cause the stored fat to be used for energy. Blood glucose levels have to decrease to less than 3.58 mmol/L for growth hormone, epinephrine, and glucagon to be released to maintain energy metabolism.[11] In the adipose cells, growth hormone and epinephrine initiate the triacylglycerol to be broken down to fatty acids. These fatty acids go to the liver and muscle where they should be oxidized and give acetyl-CoA that enters the Krebs cycle directly.[11] However, the excess acetyl-CoA in the liver is converted to ketones (ketone bodies), that are transported to other tissues. In these tissues they are converted back into acetyl-CoA in order to enter the Krebs cycle. Glucagon is produced when blood glucose is too low, and it causes the liver to start breaking glycogen into glucose. Since the dieter does not eat any more carbohydrates, there is no glycogen in the liver to be broken down, so the liver converts fats into free fatty acids and ketone bodies, and this process is called ketosis. Because of this, the body is forced to use fats as a primary fuel source.

The diet begins with two weeks in the “induction phase” with carbohydrate consumption being under 20g per day and coming from only vegetable sources. The diet continues with the “ongoing weight loss phase” with carbohydrate levels increasing by five grams every week and still coming from mostly vegetable and fruit sources. The final stage is the “pre-maintenance stage”, leading into “maintenance”, where carbohydrate levels are increased by 10g per week and the introduction of a few whole grains back into the diet.

Like I stated before, this diet has been under much debate since its Dr. Atkins’s first book about the diet in 1972. Some studies claim that the diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and lowers cholesterol, while other studies claim the diet contributes to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and kidney stones due to its high consumption of fats and proteins. There is still a lot of research being done, with recent studies looking at the long term validity of the diet and studying the effects over an extended period of time beyond just a few months, which previous studies were based on. One study found that women eating a low carbohydrate, high fat and protein diet had the same or less risk of coronary heart disease as women eating a high carbohydrate, low fat diet. Other studies have found that the diet has positive effects on individuals with diabetes, cancer, and epilepsy. On the other hand there have been studies that found negative side affects to the diet. One of the possible risks of a high protein, low carbohydrate diet is the loss of calcium, leading to osteoporosis and kidney stones. The diet has also shown to increase constipation, halitosis (bad breath), and headaches in some subjects. Other opponents say that the initial weight loss when beginning the diet is due to water loss in muscles and not fat loss. They also state that weight loss on any diet is due to caloric restriction below maintenance and that the Atkins diet may produce weight loss in individuals due to reducing food intake and not the restriction of carbohydrates.

I am not sure if this answers any question you may have had about the diet or confused you more, but as you can see there is a ton of debate on this diet. The important thing is to know the possible risks of any diet before starting it and stop following the diet if you experience any negative side effects.

*As with starting any diet or exercise program, consult your physician before beginning.