Have a ‘gas’ problem? Here are expert tips to avoid it

The different kinds of food you combine play a vital role in digestion and nutrition. Read which food groups you shouldn't mix and why.

By: Dr NK Sharma | | Updated: January 31, 2014 6:16 pm

The different kinds of food you combine play a vital role in digestion and nutrition. Sadly, we often end up eating food items that aren’t right for our stomach. Dr NK Sharma, a renowned naturopath tells why you shouldn’t mix two types of common food groups – proteins and carbohydrates. Also Read - Sleepless nights: Some naturopathic solutions that may help relieve insomnia

It’s a horrible idea to eat a concentrated protein with a concentrated carbohydrate, which means that you should never mix foods like nuts, meat, eggs, cheese, etc. with breads, cereals, sweet fruits, cakes, etc. I know that sounds sacrilegious considering that’s what people eat most of the time (bread with meats or roti and subzi) but it’s actually bad for your digestive system since it can’t digest both at the same time because the processes of digestion of both these food types are very different. Also Read - Try naturopathy for weight loss and see the result yourself

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The primary reason for this is all starches are digested in an alkaline medium while all proteins are digested in an acidic medium, a combination that can’t exist in the digestive system at the same time.

When starches mix with salivary enzymes and pass them on to the stomach with any protein or milk, heavy hydrochloric acid is poured out to digest the protein. This creates an acidic environment and brings starch digestion to an abrupt end. It also forces starch to remain in the stomach until protein digestion is completed and it’s already fermented by the time it reaches the small intestine which leads to gas and toxin formation. And it’s not just starch but also protein that remains undigested since the alkaline and acid solutions neutralise each other inhibiting the digestion processes of both. Read more about diet habits that you should change for your health’s sake.

Tips to avoid ‘gas’:

Make it a rule not to eat protein and starches together in the same meal. However, if circumstances force you to eat both, don’t mix them together. Eat proteins first and consume the starch part 20-30 minutes later.
Legumes and beans are food items that contain 25% protein and approximately 50% starch which explains why they’re so hard to digest. The starch of the bean lies in the stomach while its protein is being digested and except under the most favourable circumstances, ferments, producing gas and toxins. One of the best rules for eating, which I can offer you, is to avoid all beans. The only exception is green beans, which contain little starch. Matured or ‘dried’ beans of all types on the other hand are known to quickly ferment and produce much gas. To be honest, legumes and cereals are not designed for human digestion, and are best suited for horses and cattle! Sadly, the standard meal includes starch with legumes in India and other countries. If you must eat legumes, combine it with rice, wheat, maize, etc. which though not perfect for digestion, is better.
If you must eat beans another option is sprouts in which the proteins convert into a digested form after soaking and hence the process of digestion is not hampered. Read about 8 Indian diet habits that are bad for your health.
Do not combine food items like milk, cheese, meat, eggs and nuts proteins with cereals. The best option in that lot is mung beans which are easily digestible and very similar to starchy cereals.
Even favourites like potatoes are a bad idea since they ferment fast with legumes which hamper our digestion. That’s why popular food items like vada or aloo bonda with chana dal are a bad idea.
Another horrible combination is meat and bread (which happens commonly in sandwiches, subs or when you eat roti with meats). When meat and bread are eaten together, a lot of hydrochloric acid is poured out and starch digestion is incomplete. Instead, an almost neutral gastric juice is poured into the stomach during the first two hours of digestion (see even in nature how carnivores never mix carbs and proteins). Here are some natural remedies for acidity.

An old saying goes that what nature has combined it can digest but what man has combined, he finds indigestible. After all, nature never ever produced a sandwich!

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Published : July 31, 2013 9:24 am | Updated:January 31, 2014 6:16 pm