We’re sharing Marilu’s simple food combining rules here.  Give this a try and see if you don’t have improved digestion, increased energy and an easier time losing those holiday pounds.  Commit to a full month of following these rules and then tell us what you think!

1.  Do not eat proteins and starches together.  Your body requires an alkaline base to digest starches.  Proteins and starches combine well with green, leafy vegetables and nonstarchy vegetables, but they do not combine well with each other.

2.  Do not mix fruit with proteins, starches, or any kind of vegetable.  Fruits digest so quickly that by the time they reach your stomach, they are already partially digested.  If they are combined with other foods, they will rot and ferment.  Only eat fruit with other fruit.

3.  Melons digest faster than any other food.  Therefore, you should never eat melons with any other food, including other fruits.  Always eat melons on their own.

4.  Do not mix acid and/or sub acid fruits with sweet fruits at the same meal.  Acid fruits, such as grapefruits, pineapple, and strawberries, can be mixed with sub acid fruits, such as apples, grapes, and peaches, but neither of these categories can be mixed with sweet fruits, such as bananas, dates, or raisins.

5.  Eat only four to six different fruits or vegetables at one meal.

6.  Fats and oils combine with everything (except fruits) but should be used in limited amounts because while they won’t inhibit digestion, they will slow it down.

7.  Wait the following lengths of time between meals that don’t combine:

a.  Two hours after eating fruit. b.  Three hours after eating starches. c.  Four hours after eating proteins.   If this seems daunting start with the simplest part of the concept.  Eat fruit by itself and keep your protein and starch contained in different meals.  In a week or so you can refine it by working on the acid/sub acid fruits and taking a look at how much fat you’re including in your meals.

Food combining is based on the biological process of digestion.  When protein and starches are eaten together the body becomes confused and can not produce the necessary enzymes, at the same time,  to properly digest the food.   If you’ve never experimented with this principle why not give it a try for the next few weeks and see if it doesn’t aid your digestion, kick start weight loss, ( if that’s your goal) and increase your energy levels. 

Here are some basic rules to get you started:

Do not eat proteins and startches together.  Your body requires an acid base to digest proteins and an alkaline base to digest starches.  Proteins and starches combine well with green, leafy vegetables and nonstarchy vegetables, but they do not combine well with each other

Do not mix fruit with proteins, starches, or any kind of vegetable.  Fruits digest so quickly that by the time they reach your stomach, they are already partially digested.  If they are combined with other foods, they will rot and ferment.  Only eat fruit with other fruit

Melons digest faster than any other food.  Therefore, you should never eat melons with other food, including other fruits.  Always eat melons on their own

Do not mix acid and/or sub acid fruits with sweet fruits at the same meal.  Acid fruits, such as grapefruits, pineapple, and strawberries, can be mixed with sub acid fruits, such as apples, grapes, and peaches, but neither of these categories can be mixed with sweet fruits, such as bananas, dates, or raisins

Eat only four to six different fruits or vegetables at one meal

Fats and oils combine with everything (except fruits) but should be used in limited amounts because while they won’t inhibit digestion, they will slow it down

Wait the following lengths of time between meals that don’t combine: a) two hours after eating fruit, b) three hours after eating starches, c) four hours after eating proteins

DOES THIS SEEM DAUNTING? 

 We can break this down into a very simple GETTING STARTED tutorial for you:

1.  Eat a fruit breakfast, without worrying too much about which fruits (but maybe keep those sweet fruits separate)

2. If you’re still hungry after an hour or two have a protein OR a starch breakfast.  (eggs and veggies or oatmeal and toast, but don’t have the proteins and starches together)

3.  Have a lunch that features a protein and lots of veggies

4. Have a starch dinner, also including lots of veggies

5. If you should have proteins and starches some legumes can help aid digestion.  A turkey sandwich could be paired with some pea soup, or seafood and rice would work with a bean salad.  (Vegans have an advantage in this department)

You can enjoy the party with no damage to your health or your wallet.  In honor of labor day here’s an inexpensive and delicious meat free entree. 

BBQ Style Tofu

1 lb firm tofu

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup apple juice

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Bragg’s liquid aminos

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch black pepper and/or cayenne pepper

Slice tofu into 6 even pieces and press between two clean dry towels with a weighted cutting board on top.  After 30 minutes pat dry. 

Whisk remaining ingredients together and place in a resealable bag, along with the tofu for 1 – 4 hours. 

Bake in the over at 375 for about 35 minutes or grill on skewers over a preheated and oiled grilling rack  for 2 minutes per side.

Food combining is the practice of eating certain foods together, and avoiding other food combinations, for the purpose of easier digestion. Food combining is one of the 10 Steps of Marilu’s Total Health Makeover®.

Food combining was first discovered by a medical doctor in the 1890s. It’s a theory that explains how to eat foods that don’t fight each other for digestion. By following the basics guidelines, you can experience efficient, healthy digestion – and you may even lose a few pounds.

The basics of food combining are as follows:

1. Eat fruits with other fruits. Eat melons alone. Eat sweet fruits (dried fruits, bananas) alone. Nuts may be eaten with citrus fruits.
2. Eat animal foods (poultry, eggs, fish) with vegetables and/or legumes.
3. Eat starchy foods (grains, pasta, bread, root veggies) with vegetables and/or legumes.
4. Do not eat animal foods with starchy foods.

If you’re skeptical about the benefits of food combining, try it for yourself. You can’t harm yourself by trying it, and there’s no additional cost. After a week, we think you’ll notice the difference, and be pleasantly surprised.

Food combining is the practice of eating certain food groups together, and avoiding other food group combinations. The benefits of food combining include efficient digestion, weight loss, and just feeling lighter.

Why would anyone practice food combining? Because we feel better when we do. It’s not difficult to combine foods properly; it just takes a little practice. Here are the basics –

• Fruits digest well with other fruits, but notsomuch with other foods – so don’t combine fruits with other food groups. A notable exception – citrus fruits are good with nuts. The acidity of citrus helps break down the fat in the nuts.
• Eat animal protein (poultry, eggs, fish) with vegetables. Examples – salmon/broccoli/salad; chicken/green beans/salad.
• Eat starches* (grains, grain-derived foods like bread and cereal, and starchy veggies like squash and potatoes) with vegetables.
  *Side note – We don’t call them carbs because so many different foods have carbohydrates in them, but don’t fit in this category (like fruit and legumes).
• Eat legumes (beans, including derivatives like tofu) with vegetables.
• Avoid eating animal protein with starches, in most cases. To improve digestion, add legumes to a meal of animal protein and starches.