From Toni Weel on FB

Simplified Food Combining Rules
Have you ever finished a meal — even a healthy one — and felt bloated, gassy, or tired afterwards?

It used to happen to me more often than I’d like to admit.

At first, I thought I was just sensitive to certain foods. But then I discovered something that changed everything:

It’s not always what you eat — it’s how you combine it.

Let me explain.

Whenever we eat a meal, our body has to break it down, digest it, and absorb the nutrients. Some foods digest quickly. Others take their time. When we combine them the wrong way, it slows everything down — leading to fermentation, gas, and poor absorption.

It’s like trying to run two apps on your phone at once when your battery is already low — everything lags.

Here are a few simple food-combining tips that made a massive difference for me:

Avoid Mixing Sugar and Fat (in Large Amounts)
This is the most important combination to avoid if you want to improve digestion.
Sugars include sweet fruits (like bananas, dates, grapes), dried fruit, and sweeteners (even natural ones).
Fats include oils, avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butters, coconut, etc.
Why avoid combining them? Because sugar digests quickly — while fat takes its time.
When eaten together in significant amounts, the sugar gets "stuck" behind the fat and begins to ferment in your gut.
This can lead to:
Bloating
• Gas
• Cramping
• Low energy

Common combos to limit or avoid:
• Dates and nuts blended together (like raw dessert balls)
• Fruit smoothies with nut butters or added oil
• Fruit salads with avocado or seeds
• Eating sweet fruit after a fatty meal

Better options:
• Have fruit on its own, especially as a morning meal or snack
• Add a small amount of citrus or berries to a green salad (without oil)
• If you do combine some sugar and fat, keep the amounts small — a few raisins with a handful of almonds, for example, is usually fine

Avoid Sugar + Starch (For Cooked Eaters)
This one’s for those who still eat cooked foods occasionally.
Combining sugary ingredients with starchy ones (like bread or potatoes) often leads to fermentation and gas.
Examples:
• Pastries and cakes (flour + sugar + fat)
• Raisin bread
• Cookies and other baked goods
This doesn’t apply to raw food meals, but if you're transitioning from cooked to raw, it’s helpful to understand why those foods made you feel heavy or bloated.

Go Easy on “Concentrated Foods” in the Same Meal
“Concentrated foods” are items that take longer to digest — especially those that are higher in fat, starch, or protein.
This includes:
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Avocados
• Legumes
• Grains
• Potatoes
• Cooked proteins (for those transitioning)
Eating more than one concentrated food at a meal — say, nuts with avocados, or bread with lentils — can overwhelm digestion.

A better approach:
Keep meals simple — focus on just one concentrated food at a time. Pair it with plenty of fresh, watery vegetables or leafy greens to lighten the load.

Final Thoughts
The more we simplify our meals, the easier digestion becomes — and the more energy we free up for healing, movement, and joy.
Try getting variety over the course of a day, not all in one dish.
Once you experience what I call a “silent digestion” — no bloating, no heaviness, no discomfort — you’ll never want to go back.
And the best part? This way of eating is not only more comfortable — it's more enjoyable, too.

To your best health,
Ariel Belloso