TheFood combining Diethas been around for decades – some swear by it, others think it’s just another trendy programme. It’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s just a fad and whether or not it’s suitable for you –  so it’s important to be well informed. My version, which I named theHarmonious Food Combining Diet, is less restrictive than the original but it still seems to work just as well. These posts explain the principles and rules of this programme:

• Food combining(the original Hay diet)
• Harmonious Food combining
• Harmonious Food combining programme 
• Harmonious Food combining chart

To help you further make up your mind, in this article I’ll outline the pros & cons of my food combining diet, based on my own experience of living on it for more than a decade.

Is the Harmonious Food combining diet worth it?

As with most diets, it has both PROS and CONS. The original Hay diet is very restrictive, but my version is more relaxed so I think that the PROS outweigh the CONS. Anyway, here is what I find good and not so good about food combining: –

The CONS – with some solutions

• It’s not ideal if you eat out a lot – I used to find it almost impossible to stick to the rules in restaurants. These days I tend to go for vegan/vegetarian meals (like a veggie curry) at lunch-time and protein-meals in the evening without any starch (i.e. no bread, rice, potatoes etc).
• It’s a difficult diet to follow if you have a family and/or partner who doesn’t want to do the programme with you. My solution is to pre-cook lots of meat/seafood based stews, chillies, curries & hearty soups. I also make mashed root veggies (which are neutral) and freeze these as single portions. I serve the stews/curries with starchy rice/potatoes for others, while using a portion of a veggie mash for myself. Vegetable curries or stews can be served with rice, potatoes or bread.
• You can’t have processed food, fast food, ready-made meals etc – this is not such a bad thing really, although living without burgers or fish&chips isn’t much fun.
• You become almost obsessive with your food and their correct combinations. Also, you’ll have to time your meals as you must keep minimum 4 hours interval between your main meals. Not ideal, if you’re into serious snacking (light, in-between-meals, snacks are allowed).
• There is confusing “expert” advice regarding certain foods as to which category they belong, such as beans, lentils, dairy products, raw meat, cured meat, avocado, dried fruits and so on. Just do your own research, follow your common sense and – most importantly – what your guts tell you! Try out soured milk products (such as live yoghurt) with either starch or protein – if you feel OK afterwards (e.g. not bloated), it’s OK to combine them. The same goes with pulses.

The PROS

Having said all the above, the Pros are actually far better:

• If you have  any digestive issues, bloating or skin problems, this diet will hugely improve your symptoms and well-being. You’ll have a flatter tummy, reduced waistline, regular bowel movements and a much better skin complexion. Also you’ll feel generally well and energised.
• You can eat everything as long as you combine them correctly, according to the rules. There is no calorie counting, no forbidden foods nor portion restrictions. You can have alcohol, coffee, cake, chocolate, butter and cream (obviously in moderation and correctly combined).
• It’s very doable if you don’t like eating out much nor getting takeaways very often.
• It’s a healthy programme, as its main purpose is to eat varied, wholesome foods for optimal digestion.
• This programme is not meant to be a weight-loss diet – it’s more like a lifestyle choice that will encourage you to take better care of your body and how you fuel it – but, as a result, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll lose weight because your digestion won’t be sluggish anymore and your metabolism will stabilise. Also, you’ll have more energy which will encourage you to exercise; and a clearer mind which will allow you to concentrate better at your work and on daily tasks.

In the next part I’ll help you with the Harmonious Food Combining Preparation andhow to plan menus & meals ahead . Also, I put together a list of yummyfood combining recipes.