Stomach Health – Food Combinations Harm It?
Regardless of the time of the day and the rush we are in, we must pay attention to what we eat in order to maintain the health of the stomach , as well as the correct weight.
When preparing meals, we often like to combine different flavors and textures. While it may seem insignificant, some foods combine to create combinations that are harmful to the digestive system. They can make you feel heavy, increase the acid content of your stomach and cause gastroesophageal reflux.
If you have recently suffered from bloating, a feeling of heaviness or stomach pain after meals, read this article and find out which products should not be combined with each other to protect stomach health.
Combining certain foods can affect the health of your stomach
By combining the right foods, you can significantly improve your digestion and overall health:
- Many combinations ferment the food in the stomach. Avoiding them will help prevent abdominal pain, gas and gas.
- You will have more energy as your body will produce less toxins.
- You will prevent heartburn.
- Your immune system will be stronger as the absorption of nutrients from food will improve.
- You will be able to better control your weight.
Food Combinations To Avoid To Protect Stomach Health
Proteins and carbohydrates
Separating these two groups of foods requires full utilization of both alkaline and acidic gastric fluids. When you put them together, they neutralize each other and create a real bomb for your intestines, disrupting normal digestion.
- Proteins and carbohydrates require different times and methods of digestion. When you disrupt your natural digestive processes, you experience stomach pain, indigestion and heartburn.
Two types of protein
Mixing two types of protein in one meal creates a very difficult combination for the stomach, making the time it takes for the food to digest virtually doubling. The longer it takes to process food, the more your digestive system is at risk and the more energy you lose.
- Therefore, you should not mix fish with red meat or chicken in the same meal.
Protein and starch
The combination of these two ingredients often prevents you from feeling full. This makes you reach for larger portions and slows down your digestion.
The starch begins to ferment in the stomach and the protein breaks down to deliver gas to the intestines, creating this well-known feeling of heaviness.
- The best way to counteract carbohydrate and protein enzymes is to add leafy greens or non-starchy vegetables to your meals.
- Green lettuce or watercress salad is a great way to reduce these side effects.
Sugars and starch
By consuming sugar in the company of starch, the saliva produced does not contain amylase, which is responsible for digesting the starch once it reaches the stomach.
This means that sugar is retained in the stomach until the starch is digested, which in turn leads to its fermentation in the stomach.
Sugars and fats
You may not realize it, but our bodies digest sugars much more easily than fats. Both of these ingredients, when combined, slow down digestive processes.
- Foods such as sweet breads, ice cream and smoothies are natural enemies of digestion.
- Smoothies made with fruits like bananas are one of the biggest culprits because they generate gas, a feeling of heaviness, and harmful toxins.
Mixing acidic fruit with dairy products like milk and yogurt is also not a very good idea as they affect digestion and immune health.
Fruit combined with other foods
In order to benefit the most from the benefits of fruit, it is best not to combine them with other products. Sugars in fruits accelerate food fermentation, which can lead to indigestion and poor absorption of vitamins and minerals.