While animal protein and starch is one of the most common food combinations, it can definitely affect your digestion. But if you’re not giving it up anytime soon, then you should learn about other food combinations to avoid for various reasons.
From combinations of foods that slow down digestion to those that mess with your energy levels, here are some of the combos that you should try to avoid on a regular basis.
Muffins and Orange Juice
While muffins are filled with carbs and orange juice has all the sugar from the fruit but very little of the fiber, this combination can raise your energy levels quickly, followed by a crash. Whole grain muffins deliver fiber that you do need for your breakfast, but you should still skip the orange juice, and also avoid it if you’re eating cereal for breakfast, particularly when mixed with milk.
Bananas and Dairy
Forget about the taste of a banana smoothie, since this fruit and milk amount to one of the worst food combinations to avoid. Your digestion will slow down and your energy levels can also drop. If bananas are a big part of your breakfast, then you can combine them with a non-dairy milk, whether it’s almond, coconut or another good replacement.
Melon and Prosciutto
This classic finger food is definitely a bad combination. Watermelon and cantaloupe are high sugar fruits, and they don’t belong in the same meal with protein, particularly with meat. Eat the melon on its own, because mixing it with starches is also a bad idea. This kind of mono meal can give you an energy boost, but don’t indulge on too much melon if you’re watching your sugar intake.
White Bread and Jam
Another staple that belongs on the list of food combinations to avoid, white bread is already high in sugar, so mixing it with jam will only give you very limited energy. It’s particularly bad for breakfast, when you should get some protein and fat. Replace it with whole grain bread and peanut butter for a much better breakfast.
Tomatoes and Cheese
They might go together well, particularly in Italian cuisine, but tomatoes are acidic and that means they don’t belong in the same meal with starches and dairy. Eating a big portion of pasta with both cheese and tomato sauce will usually reduce your energy levels. However, the worst possible combo is a grilled cheese sandwich with canned tomato soup, that’s also high in sugar in sodium.
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Double Protein
Mixing two big portions of protein on the same plate is always one of the food combinations to avoid, whether it’s bacon and eggs or beans and tofu. Protein can be hard to digest, so eating two types at the same meal is definitely not a good idea. You can mix a single source of protein with non-starch vegetables, and it’s always better to eat protein towards the end of the meal.
Wine and Dessert
Another combination that seems perfectly harmless, but it’s not, alcohol and sweets can cause weight gain. Since alcoholic beverages increase insulin levels, eating sweets at the same time means that the sugar that’s not digested immediately is definitely getting stored as fat. You can still drink a glass of wine with your meal, but you should aim to keep it separate from desserts.
Fruit After Protein and Starch
If you want to keep your digestion going, you shouldn’t eat fruit after your meals. It’s one of the food combinations to avoid because fruit is usually digested quicker than protein or carbs. But if it get to your stomach after them, it will stick around and can start to ferment, causing cramps and bloating.
Cold Water and Food
Drinking water during your meals is really bad if you opt for cold water. The energy that would normally be used to digest your meal gets used up by warming up the water in your stomach and that’s not good for you. Opt for smaller sips of warm water.
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Dairy and Beans
If you’re worried about bloating, beans and dairy are definitely one of the food combinations to avoid. This can be a major issue in Mexican cuisine, particularly if you add acidic tomato sauces to the combo. Stick to either one or the other.