Food Combination Diet Benefits

There are definitely positive health benefits to be achieved by adhering to a carefully thought out food combination diet. Combination diets work on the principle that different kinds of foods are best digested and utilized under different conditions. There are charts that you can use to help you learn how best to combine foods, which can be very handy when designing a combination diet program.

Basic Benefits of the Proper Food Combination Diet

By combining foods in certain ways, you’ll be able to get the optimum nutrition from your food. A Food combination diet also help with weight loss.  By combining acid and alkaline foods properly, you’ll feel better, and your body will function properly.

On the other hand, if you eat foods in the wrong combinations, your digestive system might slow down, which is not healthy or conducive to getting the most nutrition out of your foods.

Alkaline and acid foods don’t utilize the same digestive juices in the same fashion during digestion. Acidic and alkaline compounds have the ability to essentially neutralize each other. When this happens, digestion can be significantly delayed, which can be detrimental to your health. On the other hand, when foods work well together, the body can digest them properly and get the optimum amount of nutrition from each food item.

Basic Food Combination Diet Plan

Combining foods properly can sometimes take a bit of study, or at least a good food combination chart. Basically, you should only eat one kind of protein at a meal.  Protein foods can be combined with most vegetables, but should also not be combined with carbohydrates, acids, fats, or sugars during one meal. However, combining proteins with starches can often be beneficial, since the protein will slow down the body’s absorption of the starch, Starches should not be combined with either acids or sugars (such as fruits). However, starches usually combine well with vegetables. In most cases, fruits should always be eaten alone, and melons should not be combined with other fruits. Understanding which foods can be combined and which ones should never be combined can enhance one’s health and good nutrition, creating a more nutritious and complete diet.

Identifying Alkaline-Forming Foods

Foods that produce an alkaline pH within the body include most fruits, including watermelon, melons such as cantaloupe, apples, grapes, citrus fruits and mangos. Most vegetables also fall into this category, such as broccoli, salad greens, cauliflower, asparagus, and peas. Although most seeds and nuts are acid-forming, almonds, chestnuts and soybeans fall into the alkaline-forming category. Quinoa, millet and wild rice are some of the few grains that are alkaline. Soy milk and soy cheese, goat milk and soy cheese, olive oil, and flax seed oil are also alkaline-forming. Green and herbal teas are also alkaline.

Identifying Acid-Forming Foods

Meats and dairy products are acid-forming, as are white flour and white sugar. Most nuts such as pecans, walnuts, cashews and peanuts are also acid-forming. White potatoes without the skins also fall into this category, as do most processed baked goods, artificial sweeteners, coffee and tea.