Natural Hygiene Diet - Proper Food Combining

The Natural Hygiene Diet - Proper Food Combining

The idea of food combining is said to originate in Ayurveda, one of the oldest healing sciences and alternative medicine systems with roots in India and Nepal. In Ayurveda, food combining is an "essential part of understanding how to eat properly," and believe s that each food has a distinct combination of tastes and energies - and a corresponding effect on the digestive system and body as a whole.


In the 1900s, food combining was adapted by nutritionists into various diet principles, including the "Natural Hygiene Diet", which claims to support digestion and promote weight loss. *Scientific studies on the diet are lacking - One study in 2000 found no impact of The Natural Hygiene Diet on weight loss.


Some Nutritionists and health practitioners support food combining for its digestion benefits and as a method of intentional eating. Others do not.


As always, we offer the following information for educational purposes and encourage you to do your own research and consult health and nutrition professionals as needed.


A thumbnail sketch of the Natural Hygiene Diet:

  • Eat in harmony with the natural cycles of the body:
  • 4am - 12pm: Elimination - nothing but raw fruit and fresh fruit juice should be consumed.
  • 12pm - 8pm: Digestion- all food should be eating during this period allowing enough time that digestion is complete by 8pm.
  • 8pm - 4am: Assimilation and use of nutrients.


  • Make high water content food the foundation of your diet.
  • A 'proper' food combining diet is not necessarily vegetarian, though it is highly recommended.
  • Fresh fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach and at least 20 minutes (longer for bananas) should pass before anything else is consumed.  Fruit requires little digestion.  If consumed with other foods it begins to ferment them.
  • Concentrated carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, potato, yam or rice, should not be combined with heavy proteins such as meat, poultry or fish.  Proteins require an acidic medium for digestion while starches require an alkaline environment.  Combining the two slows down the digestive process.
  • Milk and milk products are not recommended any time but if one must have them occasionally they’re best eaten alone.  If that’s not possible wait several hours before eating anything else to give your digestion a chance to recover 😊
  • Nuts and beans contain both carbohydrates and proteins and should be eaten alone or with vegetables only.


Originators of the diet recommend fasting if one becomes ill to allow the body to cleanse and heal. Some practitioners suggest fasting one day each week to maintain good health. Other prescribe an annual fast for the routine maintenance of good health. Again, please consult with a health professional before fasting of any kind.


*Revised December 2024

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