Have you ever wondered why you feel heavy or bloated after lunch, even if you ate healthy foods? It may not be the foods themselves, but the combination of foods.
It turns out that some combinations turn food into a real time bomb for your stomach.
Harmful combinations
For example, many people's favorite fruits after the main meal. They begin to ferment in the intestines while the main meal is being digested, causing gases and discomfort.
What about meat and potatoes? Proteins and carbohydrates require different enzymes to digest, which slows down your metabolism and makes you feel tired.
It is even more dangerous to combine milk with sour fruits - such a mixture curdles in the stomach, disrupting digestion.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Take the classic cheese and tomato sandwich, for example.
It would seem that nothing could be more harmless. However, the acid from tomatoes slows down the absorption of calcium from cheese, and the starch from bread conflicts with proteins. The result is heaviness and a lack of nutrients.
Or another popular duet - fish and eggs. Both products are rich in protein, but their combined consumption overloads the liver and kidneys, forcing the body to work to the point of exhaustion.
Even cereals with milk, which many consider the ideal breakfast, can cause inflammation in the intestines due to the incompatibility of gluten and lactose
Why does this happen?
Digestion is a chain of chemical reactions. Proteins need an acidic environment to break down, and carbohydrates need an alkaline environment.
When you mix them, the stomach tries to secrete both types of enzymes at the same time, which neutralizes the environment and slows down the process.
As a result, food stagnates, fermentation begins, and toxins enter the blood. This not only causes discomfort, but also provokes chronic diseases - from gastritis to allergies.
How to fix this
To avoid problems, eat fruits separately, separate proteins and carbohydrates, and drink milk without additives. Simple rules of food compatibility can change your well-being in just a week!
Try separate meals for at least a month.
For breakfast, eat carbohydrates (porridge, toast), for lunch - proteins with vegetables, and make dinner light, for example, stewed vegetables or fermented milk products.
Eat fruits 30 minutes before meals or 2 hours after. Avoid desserts immediately after the main meal - they trigger fermentation.
And don’t wash down your food with cold drinks: this “extinguishes” the gastric fire, slowing down digestion.
By the way, different cultures have historically developed their own rules for combining foods.
In Asian cuisine, for example, fish is often marinated in sweet and sour sauces that neutralize harmful compounds.
In the Mediterranean tradition, meat is served with herbs and lemon, which improve iron absorption. Take a closer look at these methods - they have been tested for centuries.
