Philosophy

Pardon the appearance while this page is being updated.

That being said, it is often referenced so I left up pertinent pieces of information.

What do I mean by making proper combinations?

There are four different food groups that should never be eaten together at a meal.

Fruit
Dried Fruit, Nuts & Seeds
Starches (pasta, bread, yams, beans, avocado, young coconuts…)
Flesh (Animal Protein, Eggs and Dairy Products)

Imagine that these different food groups are all on their own separate teams. In order to “play” fair, they all need to remain with their own team. They need to remain separate because they each require different digestive juices and enzymes in order to be digested efficiently and cleanly (i.e. not sticking around to cause trouble).

There is also a fifth group that is neutral. This fifth group is your vegetable group. This is your referee. Vegetables can be eaten with any of the teams (except fruit).

There are some rules to this combination game. One of the most important rules to note concerns the fruit team.

The Rule: Fruit should only ever be eaten alone. I know. This may not be the news you were looking to hear, especially for those of you that like to have an apple with lunch, or a fruit parfait for dessert. But just making this one little change is sure to soothe your digestive system. (And who wants to feel bloated?)

Why Fruit alone?

Fruit is Mother Nature’s Perfect Food. When we eat it alone (ideally, for breakfast), it will pass through our systems without causing trouble. However, when we mix and match our foods, the fruit becomes jumbled up inside, as the body attempts to digest the “heavier” foods first. When the body is distracted by the heavier foods, the fruit will sit. Ferment. Cause gas, bloat… no good.

So… you now know the basic rules to the game.

Fruit alone.

Separate your food groups. The “sandwich” is the most common offender (as it combines flesh and starch).

There are also a couple exceptions to the combination game.

Exception #1: Avocados are beautiful and interesting characters. Technically a fruit, they combine with starches, dried fruits (but not nuts, or seeds) and bananas.

Exception #2: Bananas, unlike their watery counterparts, are much more dense in nature. They, too, combine as a starch and can be eaten along with high-quality grain products, avocados, dried fruit and nuts (and seeds).

Other exceptions: I consider first-cold pressed olive oil, a bit of organic butter for cooking, and some quantities of dark chocolate (to be enjoyed at the end of a meal, preferably dinner) to be neutral. In the beginning transitional stages, you may sprinkle moderate amounts of raw goat (and sheep) cheese on high quality sprouted grains (not a perfect combination but much better than your traditional bread and cow cheese).

If you start by practicing to choose more healthful and wholesome foods, eat from Light to Heavy, and gradually begin to properly combine your meals, the results will be both rewarding, beautifying, and delicious.

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57 Comments »

57 Responses

on December 17, 2009 at 12:26 pm | Reply Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty

This was really really interesting! I suffer from lots of different stomach issues… and have never thought of the food combining. I think it might be hard to not drink my smoothies (fruit, spinach and almond milk) in the morning, as I love them!! But maybe it’s worth a try~

Thanks again, great blog, I can’t wait to read more!

Jessica
on December 22, 2009 at 6:39 pm | Reply Alexander J. Rinehart, MSACN

Hi Lauren, it was a pleasure finding your blog. I like the way you separate your categories because individual foods are not inherently bad, it’s how we find ways to mix and match that just isn’t in line with the body’s digestion… meat isn’t inherently bad, meat in the absence of vegetables is bad…meat with starch and no vegetables is worse….These are things that aren’t very research friendly because you start involving multiple variables. Look forward to reading more. I’ll be studying for my CCN here in the near future, just ordered a text, any advice or tips?
- on December 22, 2009 at 11:36 pm | Reply pureblissnutrition
  
  Hey Alexander,
  Send me an email at lauren@inpurebliss.com if you have any questions…
  
  So nice to hear someone so interested in nutrition!
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on January 21, 2010 at 6:02 pm | Reply Jenny

Thank you for connecting with me! I love your site and especially your philosophy outlined here. I am going to learn a lot from you, I can already tell! Looking forward to reading all of your posts. XO – Jenny
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on April 6, 2010 at 4:06 pm | Reply sophie

thank you so much for all your vividly interesting blogs on “what we eat and what we should eat”; I just stumbled on your website and frankly it took only few minutes to have it in “my favorites”; i can’t wait to pass it on to co-workers and friends who care about their health and lifestyle. Please keep bringing your amazing blog subjects!

sophie
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on April 8, 2010 at 12:16 pm | Reply Melissa

do think or do not think are fit for human consumption? not right?
- on April 8, 2010 at 1:45 pm | Reply pureblissnutrition
  
  Thanks Melissa! I did not even notice that. It should be “not fit” for human consumption.
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on June 21, 2010 at 1:49 pm | Reply jqlee

wow, i love this way of thinking/eating. you have an awesome blog!
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on November 14, 2010 at 3:02 am | Reply Anna

Hi Lauren,

Which category would pulses and legumes fall under, can they be freely combined with veggies and grains? Thank you
- on November 15, 2010 at 5:50 pm | Reply pureblissnutrition
  
  Yes~ Legumes are starches so they can be combined with veggies, grains, and sweet potatoes, however I find they are more perfectly combined with veggies, as beans have enzyme inhibitors that make them more difficult to breakdown. Additionally, they are rather imperfectly combined themselves as they are both a protein and a starch (but more so a starch)… however if they are eaten in moderate quantities, they can be an awesome source of protein, and very filling!
on November 29, 2010 at 6:44 pm | Reply Alexia

Hi, could you tell me how long it took you to make the complete change? Going from fast and greasy food, to raw?
- on December 1, 2010 at 3:45 pm | Reply pureblissnutrition
  
  Oh it completely depends… I have not had meat for 8 years… chicken for 4… but fish for just, a little over 1 year… Most recently I stopped wanting raw sheep cheeses… it is really just a natural progression but best to go at your own pace so as not to feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or deprived. I am still not entirely raw. During the summer I am, for the most part… but as it gets chillier, I amp up the hot carob smoothies, steamed and roasted beets, broccoli and brussel sprouts, etc.
  
  But I stopped eating fast food, fried foods, soda and soy milk, cold turkey.
  - on December 1, 2010 at 10:32 pm Alexia
    
    And is there any particular hour that you try not to eat after? For example, I try not to ever eat after 6. Ofcourse, that doesn’t always work out, since I do get hungry. And do you workout? If so, how much?
  - on December 1, 2010 at 10:34 pm Alexia
    
    And is there a certain time that you try not to eat after? For example, I try not to ever eat after 6. Ofcourse, that doesn’t always work out, since I do get hungry. And do you workout? If so, how much?
  - on December 3, 2010 at 12:17 pm pureblissnutrition
    
    It really depends on your activity level, and what time you go to sleep… It should be at least 3 hours before you hit the sheets, but that is not always realistic.
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on March 19, 2011 at 9:28 pm | Reply stacie

I too am a food snob! and enjoy learning and reading about healthy eating (I had heard almond butter was better for you compared to peanut and didn’t know why, now i do!) My friend and I are starting a blog on fashion and beauty and one thing we want to hi-light is a healthy lifestyle will pay off much more than a $200 face cream. I’ve found cutting out dairy and gluten has greatly improved my acne, which I’ve suffered with (and spent loads of money on) since I was 12.
I believe that you ARE what you EAT!!! Lots of processed foods, fats = sluggish, overweight. Bright colored veggies/fruits, brown rice, quinoa = glowing complexion and energy!
Thank you for educating people and also being humble and open minded. Cheers! -s
- on March 21, 2011 at 11:21 pm | Reply pureblissnutrition
  
  Thanks for your comment! I totally agree.
on April 6, 2011 at 9:43 pm | Reply Joe Sacco

Greetings,

Could you please comment on microwave heating/cooking of food.

Thanks,

Joe
- on April 7, 2011 at 9:28 pm | Reply pureblissnutrition
  
  Sure, I will try to write about that in an upcoming article.
on October 2, 2011 at 11:37 pm | Reply Generations at Home Wellness Care

Good stuff. Thanks for the tips.
on November 30, 2011 at 11:07 pm | Reply anon

I hate to seem like a nit-picker, but for someone claiming to be a nutritionist and knowledgable about food, I find it odd that you state that cocoa butter is a dairy product. Cocoa butter is just fat extracted from cocoa beans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoa_butter There is tons of chocolate on the market that is dairy free/vegan, and you can even find a number of chocolate treats that are raw. http://www.lovestreetlivingfoods.com/
- on December 1, 2011 at 12:18 am | Reply pureblissnutrition
  
  Too funny. Yes. You are absolutely right! This page was written quite, quite some time ago and I clearly need to update it. What I believe I intended refer to was the small percentage of milk in most chocolate products and for some reason… yes. I very clearly wrote cocoa butter. Thank you for pointing out my mistake– and for making me realize I really need to revamp everything much sooner than later.
on April 3, 2012 at 6:00 am | Reply lala

what if i combine juiced fruit(any kind) and vegetables(any kind)?do i have to worry about indigestion? im new at this..and im planning to do juice fasting in a few days, and if drink fruit juice right after a solid meal (eg veggies and brown rice) is that still a wrong combination?…please enlighten me.. thanks!
- on April 4, 2012 at 12:02 am | Reply Lauren Talbot
  
  You may combine fruit and vegetables in a juice but I would only recommend juicing low sugar fruits like: apples… most fruits will just supply you with a lot of quickly metabolized sugar and you do not want to do that. Juices should always be balanced out with some greens, or you can absolutely get away with a juice of carrots and beets (and then adding greens like parsley and spinach). Carrots and beets are sweet, and detoxifying, but will not be a shock to the body like fruits– which awaken toxins.
  
  You would never want to drink juice, ESPECIALLY juice with fruit, on anything but an empty stomach. The benefit of juicing is to supply the body with an awesome amount of nutrients that rush into the bloodstream. Juice does not contain fiber– meaning it requires absolutely no digestion or energy. If you consume juice on top of something that is digesting… your rice and veggies, it will sit on top of the food and ferment– causing bloat, etc.
- on April 4, 2012 at 12:04 am | Reply Lauren Talbot
  
  Also, I would not undertake a juice fast without some sort of nutritional guidance. It is easy to want the supposed magic bullet effect of a juice fast, but it is also easy to end up with some unpleasant side effects due to a lack of experience. These can side effects can be avoided, but one needs to be educated on a proper cleanse before it is started.