Many people are attracted to the idea of food-combining. Based on avoiding certain food combinations, it may produce rapid and sustainable weight loss. Here we evaluate this diet and provide tips on how to follow it safely.
The principles of this diet are to be found in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. It was first taken up in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. Dr William Howard Hay formalised the diet’s main rules, and Dr Herbert Shelton subsequently offered a more detailed insight in his 1951 book ‘Food Combining Made Easy’ (1).
The food-combining diet is based on two key principles:
Adopting the food-combining diet may thus enhance the digestive process, and limit any unpleasant effects thereof. This may also reduce harmful putrefaction of foods in the stomach. In addition, by reducing the amount of effort expended on digesting food, the body may be able to devote more time to other natural functions.
Proponents of the diet believe it also facilitates rapid weight loss, producing a noticeable feeling of lightness and a significant increase in energy (2).
By excluding bad food combinations, the diet may prevent the release of potential disease-causingtoxins in the body. According to this theory, a number of health problems could be avoided by following the principles set out by Drs Hay and Shelton.
How do you apply this diet on a daily basis? A number of basic principles need to be observed:
These principles can be applied on a daily basis by, for example, choosing one type of food for each meal. Some people even prefer to concentrate on one food type for each day of the week.
There are several situations conducive to following the food-combining diet for a short period.
This diet can provide an energy boost by enabling less energy to be expended on the digestive process.
If you think your low energy levels might be due to a nutritional deficiency, you could also take a multivitamin supplement, such as Daily 1. This vitamin, mineral and antioxidant complex comes in the form of sustained-release capsules: taking just one capsule daily allows you to benefit from its effects throughout the day.
Often mentioned is the Nordic food-combining diet.This consists of significantly reducing your intake of carbohydrates and increasing that of fat and protein several days before an endurance event, and then completely reversing this three days before the event. This approach is thought to optimise the body’s levels of glycogen, a stored form of glucose that’s directly-usable as energy during exercise (3).
Our sports-loving customers may also be interested in the benefits of Cordyceps Cs-4, D-ribose and Rhodiola rosea. Rich in natural active ingredients, these supplements are ideal for anyone engaging in physical activity.
Some people extol the ‘detox’ virtues of this way of eating. Food-combining may indeed reduce the food-fermenting process which has an adverse effect on the gut mucosa and microbiota.
The food-combination diet can happily be combined with supplementation in order to benefit from all the potential detoxifying effects of glucosinolates.
The food-combination diet is tempting as it is relatively easy to follow provided you manage to compartmentalise your meals and days. The prospect of rapid weight loss is also appealing.
However, it needs to approached with good sense and perspective. This is a diet that should only be adopted short-term. It is not well-balanced enough to be suitable to follow for more than a week. The fact that it’s rigid and exclusionary also makes it difficult socially, whether you’re having a meal with friends, lunch in the canteen or eating out. Last but not least, there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove its credibility beyond doubt.
In conclusion, if you decide to try this kind of diet, make sure you pay attention to what your body is telling you. It’s important to eat a varied diet and always listen to your body. In addition, our supplements are there to help you maintain everyday nutritional balance!
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