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 Food Combinations
By Jeremy E. Kaslow, M.D
The theory of dietetics is based upon the hypothesis that inadequate absorption
of food causes degeneration of tissue. That, for a perfect metabolism, one does
not combine foods high in starches with foods high in proteins or fats in the
same meal.
It is well known many illnesses are due to deficiencies of certain essential
food factors—vitamins and minerals. It is not enough to have the essential
elements in the food we eat; they must actually be utilized by our bodies, and
be available to our tissues.
Thus, it is possible to eat large quantities of nutritious foods and get no
benefit if we eat other foods at the same time that interfere with the proper
digestion of vitamin and mineral bearing foods. If we eat cheese, rich in
calcium, and at the time it reaches our small intestine, an alkaline digestive
process is going on, then very little (if any) of that calcium will be available
to us. The calcium will make a chemical combination with the alkali and become
non-absorbable and will pass through our body unused! No matter how much cheese
we eat, we may still suffer from calcium deficiency if the calcium is not
absorbed. If this food reaches the small intestine when an acid condition is
present, much of the calcium will be utilized.
When we eat carbohydrates, (starches and sugars), our small intestine becomes
alkaline, and a condition is created by which essential factors in other foods
cannot be used. These same carbohydrates may interfere with the digestion of
certain proteins in the stomach itself, and partially digested protein food
actually becomes toxic.
Research has found that proteins may be split up by imperfect digestion into
large protein molecules that may be absorbed into circulation as
macro-molecules, which then initiate a cascade of immunologic reactions that can
cause symptoms and disease. Instead of being split up into smaller molecules
(amino acids) proteins eaten with carbohydrates may actually become toxic due to
incomplete digestion, absorption to tissues, such as, the allergy producing and
poisonous amines.
These are two distinctly different types of digestion: an acid digestion for
proteins (meat, fish, eggs, and cheese) and an alkaline digestion for
carbohydrates (sugars and starches).
Proteins are digested largely in the stomach , by the gastric juice, which is
acid in reaction. One important constituents of the gastric juice is
hydrochloric acid. Another important ingredient of gastric juice is pepsin,
which splits protein only in an acid medium. In other words the stomach must be
acid to digest protein.
Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are not digested in the stomach, but digested
largely in the small intestine, principally by the pancreas secretions, which
are alkaline. One of the most important constituents of this process is amylase,
which splits the starch only in an alkaline medium. On their way through the
stomach to the small intestine, the carbohydrates not only inhibit the secretion
of hydrochloric acid in the stomach but also combine with some of the free
hydrochloric acid there.
Fats follow a different course; they leave the stomach largely unchanged and
upon entering the small intestine cause the gall bladder to empty bile into the
small intestine. Bile emulsifies the fat and releases fatty acids, which can
neutralize alkaline secretions in the small intestine. If these fatty acids are
produced in the intestine while carbohydrates are being digested there, the
alkaline secretions that are part of the carbohydrate digestion will be
neutralized. The undigested carbohydrates will be left free to ferment and
produce gas.
Please view the following rules:
RULE 1: Do not combine pure fats (butter, cream, bacon fat) with high starches
(potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, cereal, sweets) at any one meal.
In the past many physicians have practiced this rule unconsciously, by advising
patients to cut out fats and high starches, or greatly restrict them. Obviously
this produced good results. But, with a restriction of fats there was always the
serious danger of running into a deficiency of essential fat-soluble vitamins
and fatty acids. Neither fats nor starches have to be eliminated or restricted
on that basis in most cases. Simply eat them at different times.
Eat fats with meats, or with any other proteins; fish, eggs or cheese. In fact
you must be sure to eat fats with meat, they not only can be combined but must
be combined.
One important study ever made on an exclusive high protein and fat diet, was
conducted by explorers Vilhjalmur Stefansson and Karsten Andersen. The purpose
of the test was to demonstrate that man could live on a purely animal diet in
our climate for an indefinite time, and in this case it was extended over a
period of one full year. The conclusions reached by this study were:
(a) It is possible for man to live for long periods on meat alone.
(b) No ill effects whatever were recorded.
(c) The diet, in order to be adequate, had to contain large quantities of fat,
some liver, and that lean meat alone was not tolerated.
(d) The tissues of one animal contain everything that is essential for another
animal, in this case, man.
Important clinical observations in this test support the thesis that there is
greater absorption of foodstuffs when eaten in the proper combinations. There
was much greater absorption, no gas and a distinct simplification of
putrefactive organisms in the intestine. There was no constipation. A further
important observation was that both men showed no increase in blood pressure,
and one of them actually showed a decrease of 20mm in his systolic pressure.
Conclusion: fats and proteins are an excellent combination. Fats, proteins,
acids, go together and help each other.
It’s a different story with carbohydrates. Carbohydrates (starches and sugars)
are digested by alkalies. Naturally, if any acid is combined with carbohydrates
it will neutralize the alkaline digestive juices. The more acid, the more
alkaline secretion required to neutralize the acid before it can begin to digest
the carbohydrates.
RULE 2: Don’t combine acids and carbohydrates. Don’t take buttermilk, orange
juice, lemon juice, grapefruit juice or vinegar at any meal that includes high
starches and sugars.
Even though many healthy people combine orange juice and starches without
feeling any distress or evidence of impaired digestion, the impairment goes on
just the same! Every time a healthy person combines acids and starches he is
making trouble for his digestion and getting less value from his foods.
RULE 3: Do not combine high proteins (meat, fish, eggs or cheese) with high
starches (potatoes, cereals, breads, sweets) at the same meal.
This prohibition is based not only on extensive clinical findings but also on
sound physiology. Let us review the evidence. We know proteins require acid for
digestion in the stomach. We know carbohydrates require alkalies for digestion
in the small intestine.
Some years ago a Mayo Clinic study on sugars, two things were made clear:
1. Sugars inhibit the secretion of the hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
2. Sugars combine with the free hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Both actions, by lessening the amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach,
interfere with the digestion of proteins. Conversely, if proteins are being
digested in the stomach and there is more acid there for the sugar to combine
with, then it will require much more alkaline secretion from the pancreas to
neutralize the extra acid before it goes to work on the sugar. The same is true
of starches that are potential sugars.
 In a study reported in the American Journal of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition
(1936) a graph showed the acidity of the stomach contents at varying times from
five subjects; first after protein meals, after starch meals, after a combined
protein and starch meal. After the meals, the stomach contents of the protein
meal were most acid, the starch meal least acid and the mixed meal half way
between.
100c.c. of the protein meal stomach contents required 60c.c. of the alkaline
solution to neutralize the free acid, and the graph was going up sharply.
100c.c. of the starch meal contents required only 20c.c. of the alkaline
solution to neutralize the free acid and the graph was falling rapidly.
100c.c. of the mixed meal stomach contents required 40c.c. of the alkaline
solution to neutralize its acid, and the graph was coming down very slowly.
This means when the starch meal entered the small intestine comparatively little
alkali would be required to neutralize the acid it had “picked up” in the
stomach, but when the mixed meal reached the small intestine, twice as much
alkaline pancreatic secretion would be needed to neutralize its acid before
starch digestion could begin.
It is also clear when the mixed meal was eaten, the proteins in it were being
digested under difficult conditions. Instead of the normal acidity required, as
shown by the all-protein meal, the acidity was reduced. The starches cut the
acidity to one-third less! Such conditions are likely to produce imperfectly
split up proteins—the large toxic protein molecule.
When high proteins and high carbo-hydrates are mixed, there is not enough acid
to digest the protein readily, and too much to digest the starch readily.
Nearly all foods contain some starch and some protein elements. Meat does
contain carbohydrate; however, in a form called, glycogen. This carbohydrate was
eaten by the animal and then metabolized and stored in its muscles. Little
digestion, if any, on our part is required to make this sugar ready to be
absorbed—it is ready to be absorbed as soon as it is liberated from the protein
of the meat. Similarly, the amount of protein in starchy vegetables is small.
While man developed two types of digestion for the food he ate, animals confined
themselves to one type of food and correspondingly one type of digestion. What
do they show us?
Herbivorous animals, such as the cow or sheep, eating only vegetable food, have
specialized on alkaline digestion. They all first alkalinize their food by
prolonged chewing (their saliva being alkali), and then re-chew their food
(chewing the cud).
Carnivorous animals, such as lions or wild dogs, have specialized acid
digestion. They bolt their food in large pieces and chew as little as possible.
Actually the less they chew, the better. An experimental study was carried out
at the Mayo Clinic in which dogs were fed meat in large chunks or meat ground
up, and the contents of the small intestine examined for the results of
digestion. The big pieces were digested far better than the ground meat.
It is highly significant that meat-eating animals have no appendix or a very
small one. Man, with his small appendix, seems to fit the meat-eating animals,
rather than the herbivorous animals with their large pouches. Our inability to
handle starches and sugars advantageously seems to stem from fundamental
physical sources.
According to Goodheart, when we eat meat, we should chew it as little as
possible; but when we, like herbivorous animals, eat vegetables, we should, chew
well and thoroughly.
Americans are notoriously calcium-deficient. Not because we don’t eat foods rich
in calcium, but because we don’t eat them in combination or a form in which the
calcium can be assimilated.
Improperly digested proteins split up into intermediate or large protein
molecules which are actually toxic. Some molecules are the substance called
histamine, an irritant and vasodilator associated with allergies such hay fever,
asthma, eczema, coryza, migraine headaches and general malaise. Goodheart
observations gave him unmistakable indications that mixed diets (com-binations
of fats with starches or high proteins with high carbohydrates) produce more
histamine in the system than the combinations recommended.
The Amino Acids: Not all proteins are of equal value. Proteins vary widely in
chemical composition and their ability to satisfy the body’s requirement of
nitrogen; they vary in the degree to which they supply the amino acids essential
for tissue building and repair. Ten amino acids have been shown to be essential
to human nutrition and must be consumed in the diet since they cannot be
manufactured by humans.
The value of any protein is mea-sured by its ability to supply some or all
essential amino acids and is complete when that supply is met. Unfortunately few
proteins are ideal and therefore the diet must be properly varied from not only
the muscle tissue of animals but also the connective tissues and tissues from
their organs, plus eggs. Eating in this manner will usually supply all essential
amino acids in sufficient quantity.
Goodheart’s Dietary Rules for Health:The general rule is to be sure you eat
enough of the vital food elements; and be sure you eat them in the right
combinations.
1. Eat all kinds of meats, fish, eggs, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits (and
carbohydrates only if you must) as the safest way to avoid deficiencies.
2. Do not combine pure fats (butter, cream or bacon) with high starches
(potatoes, cereals, breads, cakes or sweets) in any one meal.
3. Do not combine acids (citrus juice, vinegar, buttermilk) with high starches
at any one meal.
4. Do not combine high proteins (meats, fish eggs, cheese) with high starches at
any one meal.
5. Eat fats freely with proteins and acid solutions.
6. Be sure you get enough essential nutritional element as follows:
a. Meat, fish, fowl and eggs: One serving of each, or two servings of one per
day with butter or other fat.
b. Milk, buttermilk, or cheese: Two glasses of raw organic milk or buttermilk,
or two and one-half ounces of cheese a day (or one glass of milk or buttermilk
plus an ounce or more of cheese).
c. Raw, low-starch fruits and raw green and yellow vegetables: Two servings a
day or one large salad bowl a day.
d. One or two tablespoons of plain cod liver oil, or its equivalent in other
fish liver oils, or their concentrates in capsules. But if you use capsules,
then be sure to take plenty butter fats and cream; your liver must have fats, if
it is going to make bile for you.
e. If you are a carbohydrate eater, supplement with yeast or other equivalent
Vitamin B Complex. Other natural fats and oils may also be necessary as the fact
remains natural fats and oils are absolutely necessary in ample quantities for
natural, healthy metabolism.
How quickly you feel noticeable improvement depends largely on how good your
health is to begin with, and how bad your eating habits have been in the past.
1. If you are now in fine health, have been eating plenty of protein, have no
digestive troubles, no marked deficiencies, you may experience no detectable
effects of this diet in one month’s time. But you will later.
2. If you suffer from occasional flatulence, indigestion, “acidity” and gas, a
month on this regimen, with no cheating, will work wonders. Your ailments will
probably disappear.
3. If you feel “all right” but sluggish and under par, if you have been eating
unwisely, (too much carbohydrates and not enough of the other food factors) you
will experience a new feeling of well-being and full health which perhaps you
did not believe possible.
Be certain to eat enough high proteins without fear of eating too much unless
you have no control over your appetite or have a specific medical condition that
dictates otherwise. Although you may exist on a relatively low protein intake,
there is ample evidence that a more liberal intake favors the development of
better physique and improvement of general health. Any excess of proteins, above
your body’s requirement for growth and repair of tissue is used as body heat and
energy.
Copyrighted 2010; permission has been granted to reprint: Food Combinations. For
the complete article visit:
http://www.drkaslow.com/html/jeremy_e__kaslow__md.html .
Dr. Jeremy E. Kaslow’s professional expertise and interests include nutrition,
detoxification, metabolism/biochemistry, immune enhancement, pain management,
neurochemistry, and new techniques for both allergies and food intolerances.
Visit: www.DrKaslow.com .
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