Day 14 of my top 30 for 30:
Before I became interested in raw food 30 years ago, I thought of fruit as a dessert, a condiment, or a decoration on top of my cereal. Honestly, I did not particularly like fruit growing up because invariably I would get an upset stomach almost every time I ate it. When I learned about raw food, my initial thought was that eating this way is not possible for me. At the time, I was looking for a solution to a health challenge, so I was willing to explore my options. I reluctantly gave eating more fruit a try and was surprised at how well I felt.
What was the difference? Placebo? Was I just so desperate to feel better that I just wished myself into feeling better after eating fruit? Well, not really. Honestly, I was hoping that raw food would not make a difference in my health because it seemed so complicated and different than the norm, or more specifically my norm. Raw food eating may seem a bit eccentric to most people now, but imagine how it was perceived in 1990 when I was getting started. Much to my chagrin, raw food did make a big difference for me health-wise and my perception of it was radically changed. My attitude changed to gratitude with the health results I experienced.
So, why did fruit work for me digestion-wise when previously it had not? I'm sure many of you can guess the answer. The fact is, before going raw I was eating fruit with or right after other foods which did not work for my digestion. The food combining principle of eating fruits away from other foods was really a game-changer for me, since I was actually able to start enjoying fruit without digestive distress for really the first time in my life! If you're not familiar with the principles of food combining for digestive purposes, they're definitely worth a look. In our class, Mastering Raw Food Nutrition, we examine food combining principles from a modern scientific perspective.
For many years now, fruit has played an important role in my diet. To see if I could further refine my approach to fruit combining, I did some experimenting. As a result, I've found that fruit blended with certain leafy greens in smoothies works just fine for my digestion. Melons are best eaten on their own for me. I've made raw desserts for special occasions that have contained both fruit and chis seeds without digestive challenges, while recipes containing both nuts and fruit generally do not work for me. These are some of my experiences with fruit combining. Naturally, what works for you is most important.
What principles of food combining have worked for you?