Initially, a person always ate separately, because he simply did not know how to cook complex dishes from many components. With progress, even unnatural products for certain peoples' habitats became available to all of humanity, and their combination with habitual food began to heavily burden the digestive system.
Many experts believe that the human body has long adapted to such conditions. After all, this process has been going on for more than one century, while others insist on the need to combine products correctly for their full assimilation. Separate nutrition theory was first put forward by nutritionist Herbert Sheldon, and since that distant 1928, millions have already learned about the compatibility table of foods for proper nutrition.
Basic principles
The whole theory about the need for separate nutrition, as a way of life for all people, is based on the fact that for the processing of certain groups of products the stomach needs different enzymes.
So, for a complete and fast processing of carbohydrates, an alkaline environment is needed, and for the digestion of protein foods - acidic. If you eat such products together, then some of them are not fully absorbed, which will cause fermentation in the stomach, and in the future, metabolic disorders and intoxication. With regular non-compliance with the compatibility of products, the body is quickly contaminated with slag, which contributes to weight gain and poor health.
The food compatibility system in the table divides all food into specific groups. In the image below you can see which of them combine well, which are acceptable, and which in no case should be used together.
In addition, it is recommended to completely abandon tea, coffee and any products with preservatives, since in their manufacture an unacceptable mixture of ingredients has already occurred.
Different groups
The separate food compatibility table contains 17 groups. But in order to facilitate the task, it’s enough to remember the main rule - never combine carbohydrates and proteins, since different enzymes are needed to process them.
The development of both acidic and alkaline environments will simultaneously lead to the neutralization of some enzymes, which will inevitably lead to defective digestion and assimilation of food. Knowing this, it will be possible, without looking at the product compatibility table, to independently compose your diet correctly. So, the following products belong to the protein group:
- any meat;
- nuts
- seafood;
- milk products;
- eggs
- fish;
- mushrooms.
Among carbohydrates, the most popular is starch. In large quantities, it is found in potatoes, legumes, pumpkin, beets, carrots, zucchini and cabbage. In lesser concentrations, starch is found in green vegetables, but nevertheless it is there, and this must be taken into account. In addition to starch, sugar also contains carbohydrates, a large amount of which is found in dried fruits, sweet fruits and honey. The carbohydrate group is supplemented with cereals, flour products and all kinds of sweets, as well as beer.
Since fats in many culinary products are contained immediately with proteins, the product compatibility table does not separate them into a separate group. These include the fats of meat and fish, vegetable oils and nuts.
A separate place in the principle of compiling such a diet is occupied by fruits, which are divided into acidic, semi-acidic and sweet. The first include citrus fruits, the second - plums, apricots, pears and apples of certain varieties, peaches and a large number of berries.
Forbidden combinations
The food compatibility table at the same time clearly defines the groups that are forbidden to be combined with each other, but does not explain why. In order to understand the principle of such a lifestyle, you should familiarize yourself with the following information:
- Combining products within a group is also not recommended. If you simultaneously eat meat and fish or eggs and nuts, the load on the digestive system will be enormous. The stomach simply cannot isolate enough enzymes to process so many different proteins and the process will drag on. As a result, gas formation, heaviness and bloating. The same goes for carbohydrates. Only their long stay in the stomach will entail the passage of often undigested food, which will lead to the accumulation of excess fat in the body.
- Pure fat cannot be combined with proteins, since it envelops the walls of the stomach and does not allow a sufficient amount of the necessary enzyme to be isolated for processing proteins. Example: vegetable oil and fish.
- You can not eat protein and sour foods at the same time. This will provoke increased acidity in the stomach, and as a result - heartburn. After proteins, fruits can be eaten only after 5-6 hours, when they are completely removed from the stomach. Otherwise, the fruit will begin to ferment and only bring harm to the body.
- It is impossible to combine acidic foods with carbohydrates because they need an alkaline environment to digest them.
- Milk should be considered a separate food, not a drink, so drink it separately.
- Melon is very useful, but does not go with anything at all. It should be eaten strictly separately from other products with a difference of 2-3 hours.
Product Compatibility Chart
The table below shows that the numbers from 1 to 17 are displayed horizontally and vertically. Each of them represents a certain group of products, which are listed in the left column.
To find out how compatible certain products are, you just need to look at the intersection of their numbers. The green square means a good combination, the yellow is acceptable, but the red is bad. According to the principle of separate nutrition, products with a red color at the intersection cannot be eaten together.
Detailed analysis of the table: group one
The first item in the product compatibility table is protein foods. It is very important to understand that meat, fish and poultry should be lean and contain a minimum amount of fat. For this, the products are thoroughly cleaned of external fat before cooking.
The combination of meat with green vegetables is the best, since the substances contained in it contribute to the digestion of protein foods and the removal of excess cholesterol. Such products should not be combined with alcohol, as this will complicate the processing of proteins.
Legume group
The optimal combination of these products with both plant and animal food is due to their dual nature.
Legumes, like carbohydrate products, are rich in starch and easily combined with animal fats, but at the same time they contain a large amount of vegetable protein, which means they can perfectly complement any vegetables.
Third group
This product is generally recommended to be consumed in small quantities, since in this oil the fat content is very high. The food compatibility table therefore recommends eating it only with light vegetables, cereals or bread. By the way, it is best to do this as a separate meal, even if it is a simple sandwich.
Milk products
The first on this list is sour cream and is separate from the rest, since it has a high percentage of fat content. It is recommended to use it in small quantities, adding to other dairy products, fruits or cereals. In general, milk must be eaten separately from everything, because when it enters the stomach, it envelops other food and does not allow it to be digested.
Cottage cheese and cheeses are complete proteins. For easy assimilation, you need to combine them with vegetables, fruits or within a group of fermented milk products.
Vegetables and fruits
Sour and semi-sour fruits in the form of any berries, citrus fruits, apples, plums, peaches, apricots and grapes are better to eat separately on an empty stomach. This is due to the fact that for their digestion it takes only 15-20 minutes, and once they get into the body after heavier food, they will linger there for a long time and cause fermentation. Sweet fruits are processed longer, so they can be combined with other groups.
Vegetables are combined with almost all products.
Starchy
Potato belongs to this group and is not considered a vegetable in this case. Combining carbohydrates is allowed only with light vegetables, butter, sour cream.
Bread in this case should be considered as a separate meal, and not an addition to each meal. A sandwich with butter can be a great snack with a slight feeling of hunger during the day.
Sugar
Any sweets with a high sugar content are allowed only with light green vegetables. They are digested in the intestines. Therefore, they can cause fermentation with the wrong combination of products. It is interesting that honey does not belong to this number, since it is considered a product already processed by the gastric juice of bees. It is absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and already 1/3 hours after use.
Other food
The compatibility chart for weight loss products considers vegetable oil as a separate group. You can combine it mainly with vegetables and cereals for dressing. The most useful is unrefined oil.
High cholesterol in egg yolk is neutralized only by green vegetables.
Nuts should only be combined with herbal products, as they contain easy-to-digest vegetable fats.
Melon occupies a separate and most important place. Combining it with any other products is prohibited. You can eat melon only 3 hours after the last meal and after it you can’t eat anything else for another 3 hours.
Sample menu
To understand that for weight loss the food compatibility table helps a lot, just look at the sample menu, compiled according to the principles of separate nutrition:
- Breakfast - scrambled eggs with herbs.
- Lunch - pasta or baked potatoes.
- Dinner - kefir or cottage cheese.
The second option:
- Breakfast - porridge on the water.
- Lunch - steamed fish or boiled lean meat.
- Dinner - fruit or vegetable salad without potatoes.
You can make your own version, guided by the main rule of alternation - if for breakfast there were proteins, then for lunch there should be carbohydrates and vice versa. Dinner should always be light.
Benefits of Compatibility Accounting
Mainly used separate nutrition for weight loss. The compatibility table of products allows you not to limit yourself in nutrition, but only to eat food in a certain combination. Such a system allows you to quickly get rid of extra pounds, feel lightness and normalize the work of many body systems.
So the metabolism is normalized, because food no longer lingers in the body longer than it should be. The disease of the heart and blood is excluded, since the products of decay from the esophagus do not get into it, they simply are not there. In addition, you can eat at any time intervals and as many times as you like. The main thing is not to overeat in one go. The portion should fit in folded palms and not exceed 400 grams.
Disadvantages of Separate Power
The compatibility table of products for the proper preparation of the diet involves the exclusion of a large number of familiar and favorite dishes. So you will need to abandon borscht, dumplings, salads with dressings and most snacks. At the same time, the body will receive everything necessary, but such nutrition will not bring pleasure.
In addition, prolonged adherence to such a diet can atrophy the digestive system, and after a certain time, the stomach will simply not be able to digest the mixed dish. In the future, this will lead to a lifelong rejection of pies, pickles and many traditional dishes of our cuisine.