The way you combine your food during meals and snacks can have an impact on how you feel afterwards. "Food combining" is an approach to eating that aims to optimize digestion. By categorizing food into groups that require similar digestion, it makes it easier for your body to assimilate the food you eat and may decrease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Why should our food be separated into categories?

• Proteins are broken down in the stomach by the enzyme pepsin and pepsin requires a lot of acid

• Carbohydrates are digested by amylase and this enzyme requires an alkaline environment to work properly, which means it can’t have a lot of acid present

• Fruits require very little effort to be broken down and pass through without much difficult

• Optimal digestion reduces the amount of time food spends in the stomach. This decreases the likelihood that food will reflux up into the esophagus causing symptoms such as burning, nausea and pain in the chest

• Food combining may improve gas, bloating and abdominal discomfort from eating!

The quick and easy breakdown of food combing:

1. Protein rich foods + non-starchy vegetables

• Protein rich foods such as poultry, beef, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy, soy

• Non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, all leafy greens, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes

2. Starchy foods and grains + vegetables

• Starchy foods and grains such as pasta, bread, rice, barley, quinoa, oats, wheat, rye

• All vegetables includes the non-starchy vegetables listed above and also butternut squash, acorn squash, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, peas, lentils, beans (garbanzo, pinto, kidney, black, lima, cannellini, soy)

3. Nuts, seeds + fruit

• Nuts and seeds such as almonds, coconut, peanuts, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts

• Fruits include apples, apricots, berries, cherries, grapefruit, oranges, grapes, mango, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, tangerines