When it comes to food, each item has its good and bad side. Certain types of food are healthy but hard to digest. Others might be digestible but when combined incorrectly, they become a burden on the stomach. Healthy eating isn't just about focusing on one food item but rather the entire meal.

Mood
Research shows that 30% of digestion depends on the environment and time you take for a meal. If you're doing other tasks during eating, driving, walking, your body isn't ready for metabolism, and therefore digestion can't be proper. Keep in mind that the stomach and brain aren't directly connected, so it takes about 20 minutes for the signal to travel from the stomach to the brain. You should ideally take at least 30 minutes for each meal.

Fruit
Fruit should never be combined with anything else. It's quickly digestible, and fermentation can affect other foods too. This can cause abdominal cramps, gas, bloating... The best practice is to wait at least 30 minutes between a fruit-based meal and the next one.

Proteins and Starch
This is the worst combination, one we should avoid at all costs. Proteins need an acidic environment, while starch needs an alkaline one. After this combination, you're almost guaranteed to feel bloated and have gas issues.

In practice, this means not mixing pasta, rice, or potatoes with meat. Additionally, proteins degrade differently, so it matters what type of meat you eat. If you eat multiple types of meat, you'll confuse your stomach even more. Fish and chicken are the quickest to digest, but the body still needs a few hours for that.

If you already have both potatoes and meat on your plate, it would be best to eat the potatoes first and slowly. Actually, after potatoes or rice, you should take at least a 10-minute break to allow your body to prepare for the protein portion.

Even worse is the combination of fruit, sugar, and starch. A piece of bread spread with jam is an unsolvable problem for the stomach. Such food just sits undigested in the stomach, providing the body with nothing but unnecessary calories.

Meat Should Always Come Last
Proper eating would mean starting with easily digestible food, so meat should be last. Also, the body needs a lot of water during a meal. It would be even better to drink a glass of water a few minutes before you start eating.

Remember, water and juices are digested in 20 to 30 minutes. Fruits, vegetables, soups, and salads take 30 to 40 minutes. Foods high in starch (rice, potatoes, pasta) take 2 to 3 hours to digest. Meat and legumes take more than 3 hours.