20 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 342 



FOOD COMBINATIONS 



A Compatible Eating fad, also known as the Hay Diet 31 ' S2 is one of the more 

 recent of several movements for diet reform promoted by enthusiasts and en- 

 dorsed by thousands of unwary converts. There is no physiological foundation 

 for the belief that the various constituents in natural foods cannot be digested 

 satisfactorily when eaten together at one meal. Rehfuss 33 has given us definite 

 proof that proteins and carbohydrates are not incompatible, nor does an acid 

 fruit interfere with the digestion of starch. Leporsky 34 has demonstrated that 

 a combination of meat and vegetables may stimulate a better flow of digestive 

 juices than either one alone. None of the dire consequences predicted as a 

 result of eating the wrong combination actually materializes in the experience 

 of thousands who boldly disregard such warnings. Be skeptical of scare adver- 

 tising and of extravagant claims for the cure of disease by such weird dietary 

 notions. Fersons who have tried one of these new systems of eating and who 

 claim to have been helped thereby may unknowingly have made other drastic 

 changes in their dietary habits. The possible benefit seemingly derived from 

 any of these regimes may arise from the fact that the variety of foods eaten 

 is an improvement over the previous diet — - more fruits and vegetables per- 

 haps — rather than the eating of them in a prescribed order or combination. 

 An adequate balance of needed food elements including minerals and vitamins 

 is the important thing. The major emphasis if not the actual facts expounded 

 by most self-styled nutritionists is misleading and holds out false hopes to the 

 sick and ailing. 



If you would be better informed on the futility and unscientific nature of 

 these food combination fads, two humorous but reliable discussions of the 

 subject are recommended. 35 ' 36 



Bur. Inv. J. A.M. A. 100, 595, 1933. 



Current Comment. J. A.M. A. 10k, 402, 1935. 



Rehfuss, M. J.A.M.A. 103, 1600, 1934. 



Leporsky, N. T. Jour. Diges. Dis. and Nut. 2, 638, December 1935. 



Lieb, C. W. Hygeia. August 1936, page 683. 



Rose. M. S.. Jour. Amer. Diet. Ass. 8, 489, 1933. 



