Basic Food Combining, Part 2

Let's discuss a common objection to "food combining," stated as follows: All foods are composed of various nutritive materials and yet the human body is capable of digesting them.  It seems that "nature" does not observe food combining principles.  

The answer to this objection is this:  The human digestive system is capable of adjusting itself to the digestion of individual natural foods, with appropriate timing of various enzymes and digestive juices.  However, when two or more foods are combined haphazardly, the digestive limitations are exceeded and digestion is inevitably impaired.

Digestion Explained.  Digestion is the process by which the complex materials of food are broken down into simpler substances in preparation for their entrance into the bloodstream.  For example, proteins are broken down into various amino acids; carbohydrates, composed of starches and sugars, are converted to glucose, a simple sugar; and fats are broken down into fatty acids.  The body is then able to use these simpler materials to build new tissue.

The digestive track may be conveniently divided into three cavities - the mouth, the stomach, and the small intestines.  Regarding the practical application of food combining principles, the conditions present in the mouth and stomach will be our primary concern.  However, the efficiency of digestion, as it continues in the small intestines, is greatly dependent upon the work done in the mouth and stomach.

When food enters the mouth, it is masticated and mixed with saliva, initiating the digestive process.  Appropriate digestive juices are also secreted here, according to the type of food ingested.  If the food contains starch, then an enzyme, salivary amylase, is also secreted at this time.  This enzyme is active only in the presence of starch.

After leaving the mouth, the food passes down the esophagus and into the stomach.  Here, gastric juice is secreted, containing primarily hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes.  The concentration of hydrochloric acid varies, depending on the type of food ingested.  Protein requires a highly acidic medium for the digestive enzyme, pepsin, to be effective.  Starches and fats, however, require a nearly neutral medium for their digestion.  In fact, salivary amylase is actually destroyed in the presence of a highly acidic gastric juice.  And the enzyme, gastric lipase, secreted for fat digestion, is also inhibited in its work in the presence of a highly acidic medium.  These distinctions represent a significant factor in complicating digestion.

(In Part 3, we will be discussing other factors of digestion to appreciate the importance of food combining and its contributing factor in causing disease. - J.P.)