Food Doesn’t Rot in the Stomach, and Other Digestion Myths Debunked
Our digestive system is a wonderful and complex thing, but it is not so complex that you need to carefully calibrate your meals to avoid food rotting in your stomach. This is a false “food combination” theory, and that’s why it’s nonsense.
According to food combination theory, our digestive tract breaks down if we feed it the wrong food at the wrong time. For example, if you eat acidic fruits with a protein-rich meal, they say that you will not be able to digest the protein and it will rot in your stomach.
Nutritionist Tamara Duker Freiman debunks these myths in the US News. “There is only one thing you need to worry about food rotting in your stomach, and that is if you die while eating,” she writes. Sour foods are not problematic because the cells in your stomach control acid levels, producing more or less as needed.
While she studies, Froiman dispels other food combination myths, including the idea that you have to eat certain foods by themselves for proper digestion. “Just like you can walk and chew gum at the same time, your intestines can simultaneously absorb meat and grains – or, frankly, any combination of foods. Don’t underestimate this! “
Debunking the Food Combination Myth | US News
Image from the Thomas Fischer Rare Book Library .
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