Low Carb Diet Vs. Food Combining

There are many factors to consider if you are debating between a food combining diet and a low carb diet. If you are changing your dietary habits due to a health issue such as diabetes, the food combining diet will not help control blood sugar levels, because carbs are not limited. There are also no substitutions allowed within a food combining diet. On a low carb diet, you can find low carb substitutions of your favorite foods and eat them in the place of the traditional, allowing you to eat the foods you love but lessening the number of carbs you consume. On the food combining diet, however, even the low carb varieties aren’t allowed to be eaten in combination with a protein.

When you decide to change your diet to achieve a healthy lifestyle, you will quickly learn that there are many different types of diets that offer healthy benefits. With so many to choose from, including a gluten free diet, a low sugar diet, and many more, it can be difficult to understand the differences to be able to make the best decision for you. This week, we compare the traditional low carb diet with the food combining diet. Read on to learn the differences and similarities between these two types of diets.  

Overview of a low carb diet:

A low carb diet traditionally sticks to a very basic plan. During the first week or two of a low carb diet, carbohydrates are strictly limited, which puts the body in a state of ketosis and allows it to use its own fat as fuel. Once this time period has passed, the carb allotment for the day is increased, but it is still a limited number each day. There is no set time that carbs are allowed, and the types of foods eaten with these limited carbs are not restricted in any way. With a traditional low carb diet, calories and fat are not typically factored into the diet, as the entire diet is based on counting carbs and keeping them to a set limited number per day. 

Overview of a food combining diet:

There are no limitations on the types of foods that can be eaten with a food combining diet. Instead, this diet works on the basis that the body can process certain types of foods more easily if they are not combined with other types. Proteins and carbohydrates are both allowed without limitation, but they are not allowed to be eaten together. The theory of this type of diet is that the body will process proteins more efficiently if starches aren’t eaten at the same time, and vice versa.  

Similarities between low carb diets and food combining diets:

While the principles of the two diets are very different, they are similar in the manner that they use the science of the body’s food processing capabilities to help achieve weight loss goals and better overall health. 

Choosing which type would work best for you:

For some, a combination of the two diets might be the best solution. Limiting when carbs are eaten as well as the number consumed in a day can help control blood glucose levels and help you achieve weight loss goals at the same time.