Food Combining

Pairing food in the right way can make all the difference to our digestion. Eating fresh, wholesome food in combinations that support the digestive process can reduce bloating, gas, and the creation of toxins.
1. Restrict to Eating Grain Only Once a Day
Grains like rice, lentils, and legumes take longer to digest. Limit grains to once a day to prevent the accumulation of undigested food and avoid putting excess strain on your body.

Difficult to Digest Combinations

• Lentil pancakes for breakfast, rice for lunch, and dal for dinner
• Poha (puffed rice) for breakfast, chapati for lunch, lentils for dinner

Easy to Digest Combinations

• Fruits for breakfast, salad for lunch, vegetables for dinner
• Salad for breakfast, brown rice for lunch, fruits for dinner
Children and people with heavy physical activity can handle grains more than once a day.
2. Eat Only One Grain at a Time
Eating multiple grains in the same meal can overwhelm the digestive system. Choose one type of grain per meal for easier digestion and nutrient absorption.

Difficult to Digest Combinations

• Rice with chapati
• Rajma with rice
• Daal with rice

Easy to Digest Combinations

• Brown rice with vegetables
• Chapati with vegetables
3. When Eating Grains, Mix Them with 3x Vegetables
To make grains easier to digest, mix them with triple the amount of vegetables. For example, pair chapati with 3 servings of cooked vegetables.

Difficult to Digest Combinations

• 3 chapatis with 1 bowl of vegetables

Easy to Digest Combinations

• 1 chapati with 2 bowls of vegetables
• 1 bowl of brown rice with 3 bowls of vegetables
4. Do Not Eat Fruits & Cooked Food Together
Fruits and cooked foods require different digestive enzymes. Eating them together can disrupt digestion and cause bloating. Eat fruits alone or with neutral vegetables.

Difficult to Digest Combinations

• Fruits and cooked vegetables
• Fruits and grains

Easy to Digest Combinations

• Fruits alone
• Fruits with green vegetables (e.g., lettuce, cucumber)
5. Don’t Mix Sweet Fruits with Citrus Fruits
Sweet fruits like bananas and mangoes should not be mixed with citrus fruits like oranges and pineapples. This combination can hinder digestion due to conflicting enzymes.

Easy to Digest Combinations

• Only melons (watermelon, muskmelon)
• Apple, pear, and peach
• Oranges and mandarin
6. Don’t Drink While You Eat
Drinking water while eating dilutes digestive juices. It's best to drink water at least 1 hour before or after a meal to ensure optimal digestion.
If you feel the need to drink during a meal, take small sips and let the water stay in your mouth before swallowing.
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