Nutrition
March 28, 2008
“Don’t eat protein and carbs together!”
If you believe the advice of certain “food combining” nutritionists, this apparently is the key to successful weight loss and better health. Standard food combining protocol consists of fruit in the morning, fruit and a salad for lunch, vegetables and either a starch or protein food for dinner, and fruit again for a late-night snack. No egg whites and oatmeal. No turkey breast on multi-grain bread. No beans of any kind!
Although the genesis of food combining can be traced back to the 19th century, its most prominent modern-day promoter was a man named Dr. Herbert Shelton. In recent years, Harvey Diamond, Susanne Somers and Marilu Henner have each popularized Shelton’s views in best-selling books, bringing food combining into the mainstream.
The central premise behind food combining is that nutrition is more a function of when and how you eat rather than what or how much you eat. This is based on the idea that digestion of protein and carbs require different pH levels: Protein thrives in an acidic environment while carbs require a more alkaline milieu. According to food combining proponents, eating these foods at the same time neutralizes stomach acids and therefore prevents proper nutrient assimilation. Without a means to be metabolized, the nutrients simply putrefy and rot in the stomach. Over time, there is a buildup of toxic waste material (called toxemia) which ultimately causes the body to store excess fat.
Truth is, however, food combining has no scientific basis. None! Zero! Nada! There isn’t a shred of evidence that any negative complications are directly attributable to eating protein and carbs in the same meal. In fact, it has repeatedly been shown in clinically controlled studies that mixed diets are actually an excellent means to improve health and sustain weight loss.
The premise of food combining is, in itself, faulty. The genius who came up with the theory apparently based it on the fact that the digestion of carbohydrate begins in the mouth—which is a basic environment—before undergoing further metabolism in the gut. One little flaw with the reasoning: The gut is always acidic, regardless of whether protein is consumed with carbs or not. In reality, carbs have no problem being fully digested in the gut, with or without protein.
But let’s throw physiology out the window for a moment and give the pH theory credence. Even if this were the case, the incomplete breakdown of carbs still wouldn’t result in toxemia. Nutrients can’t rot in the stomach, plain and simple. Once ingested, they are either assimilated or eliminated. Whatever your body can’t digest passes through to the colon and is excreted in the feces. Except for constipation, there simply is no mechanism by which food can remain in your system in a degraded form for an extended period of time. And if constipation is a problem, the likely cause is a lack of dietary fiber, not food combining.
Along the same lines, toxic waste cannot turn into fat—it’s a physiologic impossibility. In order for foods to be stored as fat, they must be first broken down and then converted into triglycerides. If a food is left undigested, it can’t be absorbed—period. And if a food can’t be absorbed, then it can’t be metabolized into a triglyceride (or anything else, for that matter).
Not convinced? Well, consider the typical bodybuilding diet. In their pre-competition phase, bodybuilders often subsist on nothing but chicken and rice (eaten at the same time). According to food combining proponents, these athletes should be packing on the pounds. Instead, they manage to attain body fat percentages as low as four percent—so much for the combination of protein and carbs causing fat storage!
There are practical reasons why it’s actually beneficial to consume protein and carbs together. Food combining is energetically wasteful. When you eat only one or two large protein-based meals a day, there is a tendency for the body to utilize protein for energy, rather than tissue-building purposes. Conversely, frequent consumption of protein provides the body with a steady source of amino acids. In fact, studies have shown muscular growth is about 20 percent greater when protein is consumed on a frequent basis as opposed to a twice-daily basis.
In final analysis, food combining is nothing more than another gimmick diet that uses a shred of fact to make an outrageous conclusion. Throughout history, humans have eaten an endless combination of foods without ill effect. Heck, the Japanese thrive on sushi and have amongst the lowest rates of obesity and highest life-expectancy in the world. So don’t feel guilty about eating carbs and protein together. Focus on the quality and quantity of what you eat and you’ll ultimately keep your body lean and mean.
Stay Fit!
Brad
TAGS: food combining, protein and carbs together, Suzanne Somers, Marilu Henner, Herbert Shelton, Harvey Diamond
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Thanks for your tip on eating more frequently meals full of protein during the day instead of packing it all in only two huge meals.
Comment by Samuel S Alarcon — May 13, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
Hi Brad,
Great blog! Would you believe I manage my weight by eating cookies and drinking an energy drink every day?!
Ya, it’s true!
Rob Nyte
Comment by Rob Nyte — May 28, 2008 @ 11:48 pm
Brad,
Thank you for this very informative post. This further strengthens my belief that variety and diversification combined with moderation in use in all fields of life is the way to go, including eating.
Sincerely,
John Maven
Comment by John Maven — September 29, 2008 @ 8:20 am
I was a big believer in this diet and followed the plan for a while and lost a lot of weight. I admit that I followed the fit for life program. I think the diet mostly worked because you are eating veggies more than anything else (about 75% of each meal consist of veggies), not because you are not combining food. Before each meal you are also drinking 16 oz of vegetable juice which makes you full. There is hardly any meat or fruits on this diet, so you are literally eating veggies, rice and beans in various combinations. So at least from the fit for life perspective there is absolutely no reason to believe that food combining is the answer, but a restricted vegeterian diet is 🙂 not sure however if this type of diet will provide enough energy for weight lifting or serious running or physical activities etc…
Comment by rouba — November 18, 2008 @ 3:42 am
John : I completely agree with you. Even for alcohol : take 1 or 2 glasses of red (not white !) wine and your heart should be fine. Take French people, they drink wine everyday and do not suffer from heart diseases.
Comment by Harry — December 19, 2008 @ 9:39 pm
You are a very smart person!
Comment by Bruno Court — April 27, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
Found your blog while browsing Google. Bookmarked. Looking forward to more nutrition tips.
Comment by Protein Shakes — August 13, 2009 @ 4:10 am
Yeah, I got a friend who is completely brainwashed into believing food combining is the key to being free of all chronic diseases and increasing athletic performance. He’s been doing it for a few weeks and his energy levels (according to him) are through the roof. But, according to your article, the energy surge is from the protein that is being broken down for energy. He spent all weekend trying to convince me to do this jacked up diet with him. I said sure I’ll do it but, the reality is that I wouldn’t do this type of diet even if I was trying to lose weight.
Comment by patrick wong — January 27, 2010 @ 2:28 pm
Thank you so much for taking the time to post this article. I have been feeling so gulity about my eating habits based upon some fellow mom friends spouting “Fit for Life” theories as nutritional gospel. I was actually about to go out and buy the book, but after reading this post, I have since changed my mind. Thanks for clarifying and illuminating the faults with the food combining theories.
Comment by Janet — May 18, 2010 @ 4:57 pm
Let me come up with a little defense here.. Food copmbining was not tailor made for body builders, more so for the average person.
Also you are right in saying the gut is always acidic. But food combining works more on the amount of time it takes to digest different food groups rather than ph levels. Fruits, greens < veggies < starches < proteins < fats seems to be the order. So it makes sense that you eat them in the same order as well. Hence fruits the morning and meat for dinner, that way proteins don't hold up the fruit when it could have easily been digested. Instead if you put food on top of your meat (thanksgiving anyone ??) you know how it feels. Food combining is all about efficiency – making sure you absorb quickly and mostly all of the food you eat.
I can tell by experience that I feel much lighter and mobile after some food combining. If its due to more veggies then so be it! Before this I ate a lot of everything all the time and I did put on weight but it was all fat and didn't feel healthy…
Also your example of precontest bodybuilders is a bit flawed. Weight gain/loss is a matter of caloric balance. Calorie deficit is whats needs to lose the pounds. Those bodybuilders are working out more in the gym and eating less – thats how they lose weight. Again food combining does not imply when you eat chicken and rice, it will be wasted – it just won't be efficient.
Again keep in mind food combining is not made for an extreme sport like bodybuilding. You will have to tailor it for your needs. But the basic premise makes a lot of sense. Bodybuilders in general would need a lot of protein 24/7 to stay anabolic, so maybe they shud add protein to all their meals. But the thing to know is it won't be easy on their digestive systems. Maybe thats why they need a lot of rest. You can also change the proportion of proteins in different meals. Use smaller quantities of proteins with carbs and fruits and pile it on in your protein and veggies meal.
best.
Comment by Neeraj — June 2, 2010 @ 4:03 pm
the proof is in the pudding. everytime ive went on a bodybuilders diet of combining carbs with protien 6 times a day ive suffered nothing but heart burn and bad digestion. everytime i have protein and carbs together i can still taste it hours later when i burp. why is this ? its because the food is still in my stomach cos it hasnt been digested properly
i agree with both sides of the argument. i think food combining is great for digestion. but i also think its bad for the metabolism and the muscles cos its too low in calories and lacks enough protein to maintain muscle. i think the bodybuilding theory is great for the motabolism and maintenance or building of muscle but terrible for digestion and detoxification
i personally do 8 weeks on 1 week off. 8 weeks of the bodybuilding lifestyle and then one week of a break from lifting weights and conbining the wrong foods. the one week off gives me the chance to get my digestion back to normal and to detoxify the waste out of my system that ive built up during the last 8 weeks due to unproperly digesting my food
Comment by david — December 16, 2010 @ 6:58 am
I really think you should do your research before posting a blog like this. You have given no credence to nutrition superminds like Professor Alexander Hay, Anthony Robbins, Deepak Chopra and Dr Robert Young, all experts in this field. Where do you think constipation comes from? Look up Pavlov’s studies with dogs, who worked alongside Dr Hay and through extensive research discovered that the stomach cannot digest both proteins and starches at the same time. It is not rubbish, it is fact. It is also one of the main reasons for most major illnesses we suffer from today. Just because you work out and seem fit on the outside, I guarantee you aren’t healthy on the inside.
Take a listen to the Anthony Robbins seminar “Living Health” and get yourself a little more educated than just reiterating what you’ve read or heard others say. And please don’t spread disinformation when you don’t have all the answers. You’re the blind leading the blind.
Stick to lifting weights buddy
Comment by Andy — December 7, 2011 @ 12:33 pm
Andy:
Please provide evidence to support your claims. I’d like to see even a single peer-reviewed research study showing that the human body is not able to digest proteins and carbs simultaneously. If you can do that, then we can debate the topic. Otherwise, your argument is hollow.
Brad
Comment by Brad — December 7, 2011 @ 5:41 pm
I follow the food combining diet because I have to now. I have IBS and before food combining I would have, almost daily, painful and explosive diarrhoea. It completely took control of my life because I’d never know when it would strike and when it did strike I’d have about 1 minute to get to a toilet and then I’d sit there for at least 30 minutes in terrible pain.
But now I food combine and it is completely gone. I’m not cured, but I no longer live with any of the symptoms. I still eat everything that I used to, I just food combine them. That means I still drink milk, eat bread, broccoli, cauliflower, fruit and oats. In fact my morning meal will either be an entire melon or a big bowl of porridge.
So the only thing I’ve changed food combining. That means it works. I don’t know how much more evidence anyone else needs than that. I’m not quoting a book or doctor, I have very definite real life proof that has given me back my life. When I start to stray from the diet then the symptoms start to return.
But do other people need to do it? I don’t know. I only know people who have tried it because they were in a similar situation to me and it worked for them too. Perhaps if you are healthy then you don’t need to.
PS – I also get bad heart burn if I mix something that is very starch and protein heavy. I don’t even know the reasoning behind the diet but I do know that without it I would have no life at all.
Comment by Farran — August 7, 2012 @ 6:57 am