Food Combining

Healthy Food Bytes: Food Combining

Paying attention to food combination may increase your nutrient absorption, help with digestive problems and possibly help with energy.

Try to eat protein with non starchy vegetables.
Grains and beans are easily digested when they’re eaten without meat or dairy.

Animal protein and veggies are a great combination.

Eat one protein per meal.
This is particularly helpful for those with indigestion.


Eat fruit between meals.
Fruits don’t go well with meats or heavy meals. Fruit pairs well with dairy or nuts. If you’re like me, I can eat a huge bowl of fruit and have good energy for about two hours then crash and feel sleepy. When I pair my fruit with yogurt or eat nuts in between, there’s no crash two hours later - just nice even energy all afternoon. Melon on the other hand should be eaten alone either between meals or at the start of a meal. They digest very quickly. Don’t eat them as a dessert, especially at the end of a heavy meal and don’t eat them with meat or raw vegetables. Don’t eat fruit and vegetables together. However, it might be ok to combine acid fruits with non-starchy vegetables. Listen to your body. But, avoid mixing starches and citrus fruits such as grapefruit and cereal in the morning.


Pay attention to what you eat and how you feel afterwards within 2 hours. How’s your energy level? Are you hungry two hours after you eat? You should be able to go 3-4 hours without being hungry. If you’re not, you may need to eat more protein. For snack, try nuts instead of crackers or popcorn.