Although both taste great together, digestively they are somewhat a disaster and best avoided to be eaten together. We are so used to having them together, that we may find it difficult to get our head around this fact. But there is a scientific reason behind this.
In digestion, there is a concept of digestive load, which in other words means how much energy the body utilizes to effectively digest a particular food. Some foods digest quickly and some foods take longer. When we mix the two, we end up increasing the workload of our digestive system, with some consequences.
- Dry fruits are pre-digested with simple sugars that require very little break down & gets digested and absorbed very quickly
- Nuts, on the other hand, being protein-fat take much longer to digest comparatively
When eaten together, the sugar from dry fruits combines with the protein fat of the nuts leading to fermentation in the gut. As a result, digestion process slows down and the fermented mix putrefies making the gut environment toxic. So while technically one may have eaten the healthiest food, it is a lost opportunity for the body to receive any nutritive benefit of this combination.
The best way to Consume Dry fruits and Nuts?
- Dry fruits are morning food.
- You can have them as breakfast on empty stomach along with regular fruits.
- As an in between standalone snack, dry fruits are ideal and stave off sweet cravings.
- Soaked dry fruits, when consumed with their naturally sweetened water is an ideal early morning energy shot for the body.
- Dry fruits can also be used as natural sweeteners, in salads and sweets. Add in some raisins, or chopped dates, anjeer in your salad for that sweet bite.
Nuts take longer to digest they are best avoided as breakfast snack. In the morning the body’s energy is focussed on cleansing & elimination function and any food that takes longer to digest will interfere with this function.
- Nuts are your ideal evening snack.
- Add soaked or roasted nuts to your salads as source of crunch and high quality protein and fat
- A handful of soaked or roasted unsalted nuts as an evening snack helps keep up your energy levels in the morning.
- A glass of Nut milk at bedtime to help the body repair and build, helps your body recuperate while you sleep giving you a deep, restful and rejuvenating sleep.
(Don’t miss out next blog for the recipe).
Discover Yoga Discover Yourself
Rajshree Dave, Health & Wellness Coach
Rajshree Dave Ghildiyal is a Health and Wellness Coach, who believe in the infinite wisdom of the body and its capacity to keep us in optimum health. She advocates the principles of integrative nutrition and living in harmony with the natural laws to enable good health to emerge from within.
A student of Yoga for last 9 years, she has experienced its transformation effects on her health and well-being. She shares her experience to help others reach their own wellness goals through her Health counselling workshops and individual coaching sessions. She empowers people to take charge of their own health by tuning into the wisdom of their own bodies and harnessing the role of food as the right fuel to reclaim health and restore mind body balance.