Hard to stomach

Claims that food-combining dietary regimes reduce fat storage don't tend to be supported by scientific evidence.

Question: I have read there are better ways to eat certain food classes together. For example, is it all right to have a glass of orange juice and dairy products such as milk or cheese in the same meal? I imagine curdling.

Answer: ood combining as a dietary regime has surged and waned in popularity for centuries. Proponents contend that eating certain foods in the correct combinations can help resolve digestive issues, toxin build-up and chronic disease. However, there is little, if any, scientific evidence to support this thinking.

Various food-combining regimes have been proposed. Generally, they recommend grouping foods into proteins, starches (a form of carbohydrate), fruits, vegetables and fats, or acidic, alkaline or neutral foods. Dieters then eat these groups in defined combinations. For example, dieters must eat fruit on an empty stomach, and they cannot combine starches with proteins in one meal so no roast potatoes with your roast chicken.

Proponents claim fat storage is reduced by not combining carbs and fats. However, a clinical trial found the food-combining diet produced no more weight loss than a regular diet (and all diets fail to deliver sustainable long-term weight loss).

The proponents also believe issues can occur in the digestive system if foods are combined, as purportedly, enzymes cannot work at their optimal pH level to digest the different components in the meal.