Food combining seems to be another controversial topic. There are
so many people with convincing arguments on both sides of the
fence that one is bound to be confused. Over time I have been on
both camps. Sometimes believing in food combining and at other
times not giving a damn about it.
After doing quite a bit of research on how digestion works I think
that I have come to a conclusion that makes sense. I can also
confirm these things with personal experience.
First let's take a brief look what the food combining advocates say.
Their basic principle is that certain foods (mainly proteins) require
acidic medium to digest while others (mainly carbohydrates) require
an alkaline medium. Acids and alkaline neutralise each others thus
impairing the digestion of both.
Logically thinking this thing makes sense, but then one has to
understand that stomach is always an acidic medium - regardless of
what you put in there. Small intestine should always be slightly
alkaline for optimal digestion.
Any food that's leaving from stomach will be acidic and pancreas
secretes enzymes that neutralise those acids before they enter
small intestine.
I do think that there is some truth in what food combining
advocates say, but it's probably not quite simple what tell you.
Let's examine what happens in your stomach during digestion.
Stomach doesn't have such a large role to play in digestion that
many people think. Acids in your stomach begin the digestion of
proteins and they also kill bacteria in present food. Stomach also
regulates the amount of food that's being passed to your small
intestine. Stomach has very little to do with digestion of
carbohydrates, but a lot to do with digestion or proteins.
Pretty much the only role the stomach plays in digestion of
carbohydrates is a temporary storage. What I mean with this is that
carbohydrates sit in your stomach for about an hour during which
digestive enzymes digest them up to 75%.
