It’s not an absolute rule to separate fruits and vegetables, but they do (with some exceptions) require different enzymes for digestion, so separating them tends to be easier on the system. Also, fruits take much less time to digest because they are mainly water, so most people do better eating fruits alone. Separating foods (or paying attention to food-combining principles), can be especially important for anyone with digestive problems.

Food Combining

Many years ago, I used to have fresh fruit for dessert. When I found that I had tummy pains about a half hour after my meal, I began to do some research to discover the reason. I read Dr. Herbert M. Shelton’s training course and T.C. Fry’s work which included the concepts of food combining. Bingo! I started my meals with the fresh fruit, waited a little while and then had the main course. Problem solved.

Now that I eat raw foods as a high percentage of my food, I find I have more tolerance for mixing fruits and vegetables. But I also do like the idea of mono-meals, that is, eating only one kind of food at a time. Since I eat more frequently than most people, but much less each time, the idea of keeping the food combinations simple works for me.

There are many principles in food combining, and also many exceptions to the principles. The most important thing is for you to experiment for yourself. There’s no need to think you have a problem if you do not. But if you do have any digestive problem, I suggest you explore food combining which extends to many different kinds of foods that I don’t plan to discuss at all on this blog.

Here are some books that look like they are among the best. Except for "Fit for Life" (which is a popularized presentation of the work of Dr. Shelton and T.C. Fry), I have not read these. Instead I’ve checked them at Amazon to share with you those that seem to have the more favorable reader comments. Please keep in mind that people have very strong views on the topic, pro and con. And everyone has different needs. There’s no plan that work for everyone.

Keep in mind that you may need only ONE idea from one book to re-set yourself to better digestion, as I mentioned in my one example. I was the only one in my family who benefited from this change; my husband and children never had a problem at all with fresh fruit after a meal.

Back to Raw Fruit Smoothies and Raw Vegetable Soups

Ah, so sweet is the mixture of a variety of fruits placed in a blender with less than a minute of whirling. It takes longer to eat than to prepare. In our house, I often add some green herb or spice. For example, mint leaves or lettuce or ginger or cinnamon.

Some foods that are botanically fruits blend better or as well with vegetables than with other fruits. Avocado, cucurbits (cucumbers, squash, pumpkins), tomatoes, green beans, and bell peppers are fruits. Except for cucumbers, I don’t add these to my fruit smoothies!

In addition, an apple is definitely a fruit, yet many people find that it combines well with either fruits or vegetables. And Ann Wigmore’s famous Raw Energy Soup combines fruits and vegetables into a very digestible meal.

You can mix and match and call any concoction whatever you want. I’m just explaining that I tend to combine fruits with fruits (with some exceptions) and call it a smoothie if I put them into a blender. I tend to combine vegetables with vegetables (with some exceptions) and call it a raw soup if I put them into a blender.