Many times we feel heaviness, abdominal inflammation, gas, reflux, etc. and we do not understand what has happened if they are foods that we always eat. Today we are going to learn that it is not the food itself, but the mixtures and combinations that we make. For example, surely we have eaten chicken with French fries more than once, because today we will understand why it usually causes poor digestion, and it is not because of the quantities.
Poor digestion shouldn't be normal. If it has become a constant in our lives and almost every day we have abdominal swelling, gas, pain, cramps and such, we should consult a specialist, since there is some abnormality in our digestive system, in our diet, in our way of eating, food, etc.
Today we are going to try to help with this problem, since there are a series of food combinations that we are very used to making and are not entirely advisable. We are going to talk about cheese, sausages, eggs, spinach, French fries, chicken, tomato and pasta, rice, acidic fruits, lentils, dairy products, and even whether or not it is advisable to drink liquid while eating.
Why is it important to learn to combine food?
Everything we eat goes through the stomach, obviously, and chemical reactions are created there and the mixture of nutrients can cause certain adverse effects. This is why we are going to explain why it is important to learn to combine foods and then we will say the mixtures that we should stop making.
- We will have lighter and faster digestions.
- Our body will absorb all the nutrients properly.
- We will significantly reduce abdominal distension, burning, gas, etc.
- We will not be so sleepy after eating, but we will have more energy.
- Our intestines will work better.
- We increase our chances of reaching our goals in the gym.
- Chronic disorders are improved.
unhealthy combinations
We are going to see that we have made many of these combinations regularly throughout our lives, and we will even surely remember some from when we were little, such as eating lentils and drinking a glass of milk. That is another, it is not recommended to drink liquid while we eat.
different types of protein
It is not recommended to mix different types of proteins, since they are a difficult group of amino acids to digest on their own, let's imagine if we mix several types. That is why it is recommended to eat only proteins of animal origin, or only of vegetable origin.
With just a small serving of protein at each meal it is enough to comply with a healthy and balanced diet, so there is no need to mix different types in one dish. This is also because each food has its characteristics that in turn activate different functions in digestion, so if we mix them we hinder the digestive process.
proteins and starches
It is important to differentiate between each food group and, of course, avoid mixing or combining proteins and starches. It may be that in the cold we do not know which foods are protein and which are starches.
- Proteins: meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, seeds and nuts.
- Starches: cereals, pasta, bread, sweets and foods made with flour, potatoes, rice, some vegetables (pumpkin, carrot, beetroot, artichoke, etc.), corn and peas.
Hence when we mix meat with potato or toast with ham or turkey, digestion becomes very heavy, we have flatulence, gas and stomach swelling. This is because the body takes a long time to digest food. In addition to the fact that the body will not be able to absorb all the nutrients and the longer that food spends in the stomach at high temperatures, the greater the chance that toxic waste will be produced. Hence the flatulence and other consequences.
tomato and pasta
We all add tomato to the macaroni, because according to the experts, the mixture of carbohydrates, starches and acidic foods is not healthy nor recommended. This is because carbohydrates and starch begin their digestion directly in our mouth and need to be chewed and require an alkaline environment. However, acidic foods slow down the digestion process.
It's a very uneven mix when it comes to digestion, yet we do it almost every week. Now we know why our belly swells that way and we feel so heavy, sleepy and sometimes even have stomach aches and gas.
spinach and cheese
It is quite common to see spinach and cheese empanadas, or even some types of pizzas, salads and other dishes. Well, if we want to have a good digestion, we must stop mixing these ingredients because spinach has oxalates that prevent the body from absorbing calcium, and, therefore, the cheese that we will be eating will pass through our body almost without leaving a trace.
Foods rich in calcium should be combined with foods rich in vitamin D, which is a vitamin that helps calcium absorption and thus we will improve the health of our bones and teeth.
Dairy with lentils and lentils with meat
Yes, our parents gave us milk for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner, and more than one of us has ended up hating it. Now experts say that combining dairy with lentils is not a good idea. This is because the iron in legumes competes with the calcium in milk and both have serious difficulties being absorbed in the intestines.
Likewise, the fat or proteins of dairy products are added to the fibers and vegetable proteins of lentils, with the consequence of a overload in the stomach and that possibly inflates our stomach and we have gas episodes.
Sweet fruits and sour fruits
Fruit for dessert is not a good option. The fruit is fast and easy to digest, if taken alone. However, when eating it as a dessert, digestion can take forever and we end up with a swollen belly. That the latter may be due to the fact that we have mixed different types of fruits. For example, melon, it is best to eat it alone and on an empty stomach, if it is accompanied, we will have abdominal distension, gas and heaviness.
Another unfortunate combination is sweet and sour fruits. By combining them, certain chemical reactions occur in the stomach that can impair the normal functioning of the body, resulting in pain, swelling, fatigue, diarrhea, etc.
There are fruits that are suitable for dessert and they are pineapple and papaya, especially if we eat meat or fish with salad and where there are no potatoes or other starches. These two tropical fruits have benefits in digestion.
Vegetables don't always go together
We are used to eating salads with almost any ingredient and at almost any time, but we are not doing it right. Vegetables tend to always combine very well, but there are certain exceptions that we should be aware of, in addition, we encourage you to make the change and we will notice the improvement at that precise moment.
- Milk.
- Sweet fruit.
- Watermelon and melon (two fruits that should never be mixed).
- Sugary foods.
side sauces
We are very used to using sauces, be it mayonnaise, mustard, pesto, ketchup, barbecue, aioli, etc. But these sauces, especially the industrial ones, are foods loaded with fat and cause slow and heavy digestions. This is because they neutralize the enzymes in the gastric juices and do not allow them to work properly. That is why their consumption is not recommended, apart from because they are not healthy, we can leave the sauces for specific occasions.
Beverages
Liquids are not a good ally at meals. We must drink water before eating, between half an hour or an hour before, and nothing to drink liquid right after eating until 2 or 3 hours have passed, as this will cause poor digestion. If we drink during meals, gastric juices and enzymes will be diluted, so digestion will not develop normally. Everything changes, if we drink kombucha or ginger tea, since that favors digestion thanks to the fact that they are probiotic drinks.
In addition, sugary juices will cause difficulties in digestion. Also, soft drinks and sugary and carbonated drinks contain phosphates and this prevents magnesium from food from being absorbed.