In today's article, we will talk about the separate feeding program developed by Herbert Shelton. At the turn of the present and past centuries, studies were carried out on the physiology of digestion. As a result, it has been proven that a certain type of digestive juice is released for the processing of each type of food. It should be noted that the release of these juices begins already in the oral cavity, after which it moves throughout the digestive tract. Scientists also managed to establish that each product is absorbed in a certain part of the digestive tract, from which it can be concluded that the human body is a very complex mechanism for processing food.
The importance of separate meals
The gastrointestinal tract is a complex chemical factory, consisting of several departments. Each of them has its own environment and uses certain substances to process food. Mixed food is less processed and makes all departments work with increased stress.
For this reason, the working substances of all parts of the gastrointestinal tract are also mixed, which causes the degeneration of their mucous membranes. For example, in the duodenum under the influence of mixed food, infection of the bile and pancreatic ducts occurs. All this leads to various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
From all of the above, we can conclude that for fast and high-quality processing of various types of food, it is necessary to make food separate. Products that are incompatible must not be consumed at the same time.
The American physician Herbert Shelton came to the same conclusions. And this happened back in the 20s of the last century. He created his own school of healthy eating, through which more than one hundred thousand people passed.
Types of products according to Shelton's theory
According to Shelton's theory, food is divided into three groups:
- Protein compounds processed in the gastrointestinal tract and for the breakdown of which substances of an acidic composition are required.
- Alkaline degradable carbohydrates.
- Products that have not undergone heat treatment, or as they are also called - "live".
The Shelton Separate Meal divides all products into the following groups:
- Protein: meat, eggs, mushrooms, fish, eggplant, legumes, nuts.
- Live foods and fats: fruits, juices, vegetables (excluding potatoes), dried fruits, seeds, watermelon.
- Carbohydrate: potatoes, bread, honey and sugar.
According to Shelton's separate feeding, neighboring groups are compatible. Simply put, protein foods are compatible with "live" ones, which in turn are compatible with carbohydrate foods. Protein products and carbohydrates cannot be mixed, as this will lead to the release of mutually exclusive acidic and alkaline substances in the digestive tract, and the body will have to work at full strength.
Melon has been placed in a separate category, which is incompatible with any of the above groups, and it should be consumed two hours after the others.
Combination of starch and protein
Even the appearance of a weak acidic environment in the gastrointestinal tract stops the work of substances designed to break down starch. When eating bread, the stomach secretes a small amount of acid, thereby creating a neutral environment. When the bread starch is processed, the amount of acid increases and the digestion of the protein compounds contained in the bread begins.
Starch and protein compounds cannot be processed at the same time. The body very carefully regulates the synthesis of various enzymes, their composition and production time. It is quite easy to process a product consisting of protein compounds and starch. But when it is necessary to process food that requires the opposite enzymes, it becomes difficult for the body to work.
When eating meat and bread together, the neutral environment in the stomach will be replaced by an acidic one, which will inhibit the processing of starches. For this reason, Shelton's separate nutrition indicates the need to consume protein and carbohydrate foods at different intervals.
The combination of protein products with protein
Two protein compounds with different compositions require different enzymes for processing. So, say, for the digestion of milk, a potent enzyme is released at the last hour, and for processing meat - at the first. Consequently, two protein products that differ in their composition cannot be processed at the same time.
For this reason, you cannot eat at the same time, for example, meat and eggs or eggs and nuts. Thus, the following rule can be formulated: the same concentrated protein food should be consumed at one time.
Combination of starches and acids
The acids in foods break down ptyalin, which is essential for starch processing. Rule: you need to consume starch and acids at different times.
Combination of proteins and acids
To break down complex substances into simple ones, and this process takes place in the stomach, a substance called pepsin is needed. It is produced at the initial stage of processing protein compounds and can only work in an acidic environment. For this reason, the misconception often arises that when acids and proteins are consumed together, the latter will be processed faster.
However, in practice, the opposite happens, since the acids that make up the food interfere with the production of gastric juice. This, in turn, hinders the breakdown of protein compounds, and leads to decay.
Under normal conditions, the gastric juice contains all the acids necessary for processing protein compounds, the concentration of pepsin in which is strictly verified. If the stomach is sick, then it is unable to maintain a normal acidic environment. Rule: you should eat acids and proteins at different times.
Combination of proteins and fats
Fats slow down the production of juice in the stomach. Even a small amount of fat in foods slows down the synthesis of pepsin and acid. This exposure can last up to 4 hours. Thus, you cannot consume at the same time, for example, vegetable oil and eggs. Rule: eat fats and protein compounds at different times.
Combination of proteins and sugars
Any food that contains sugar slows down the production of gastric juice. The main reason for this is that these substances are processed in the intestines. When sugars are consumed separately from other foods, they quickly end up in the gastrointestinal tract, which processes them.
When combined with other types of foods, sugar stays in the stomach for a long time, which causes bacteria to grow. The rule that established a separate diet according to Shelton: sugar and protein should be consumed at different times.
Combination of starch and sugars
Processing of starches begins in the mouth and ends in the stomach. In turn, sugars are digested in the intestines. When sugar is consumed with other foods, they have to linger in the stomach. During this time, fermentation can begin. Rule: Starch and sugar should be consumed separately.
Melon
As mentioned above, the separate Shelton feeding separates the melon into a separate group. Melon processing takes place in the intestines. When used correctly, it passes the stomach very quickly and begins to be processed. But when combined with other products, the melon lingers in the stomach for a long time and leads to increased gas production. Rule: melon and other foods should be consumed at different times.
Milk
Once in the stomach, milk coagulates, and as a result, curd is formed. Thus, it envelops other foods and insulates them from gastric juices. For babies, mother's milk is the ideal food. However, with age, some substances cease to be synthesized in the body, and milk is processed more difficult. Rule: milk must be consumed separately.
Bouillon
Processing broths requires 30 times more energy than processing the same amount of meat. Probably, being a natural product, meat is broken down much faster into simple substances. Rule: first courses should be lean, and meat broths should be excluded from the nutrition program.
Dessert
Typically, dessert is consumed at the end of a meal. However, these foods are poorly processed and do not provide any benefits to the body, thus being undesirable. Chilled desserts, such as ice cream, cool previously eaten food. The body first has to heat it up, and only after that processing begins. Also, because of the cold, the organs located next to the stomach begin to be less supplied with blood. Rule: desserts should be excluded from the nutrition program.
Water
Drinking water at the same time as other products weakens the effect of saliva on starches, dilutes gastric juice, quickly flushing it out of the body. Thus, food is forced to stay in the stomach for a long time until the body synthesizes new digestive enzymes. This requires spending extra energy, which causes an increased load on the stomach and intestines. It is advisable to take liquids (water, tea, juice, etc.) 15 minutes before the start of a meal.
Rules for the use of protein products
Vegetables with a high juice content and foods without starch work best with foods containing a large amount of protein compounds. Poorly combined with protein products, cereals, some types of vegetables.
Rules for the consumption of starches
The Shelton Separate Meal suggests eating starchy foods separately from the rest. The point here is not only that the two starches are poorly processed, but also the overeating of the substance that occurs when two or more types of starch are consumed.
Starch processing begins in the mouth and the food should be chewed thoroughly. Food with a high starch content should not be swallowed, but "drunk". These foods are best eaten during the daytime, and should be dry and the porridge well cooked.
How to eat fruit properly
Fruits, along with green vegetables, root vegetables and nuts, are ideal nutrition for humans. Fruit should be eaten separately from other foods and should not be consumed between meals. The best option would be to make a separate reception for vegetables. Also, the Shelton split meal prohibits mixing fruits and sugar.
Watch a video about Shelton's theory of nutrition:
Thus, Shelton's theory implies the separation of protein from carbohydrate products, and the break between their use should be at least two hours.
