Debunking the Myth of Food Combining — US News
Saw this upon LifeHacker but thought this part was interesting.
Gastric pH levels are controlled by the cells which line our stomachs as they secrete gastric acid throughout the digestive process; we do not rely on foods to control stomach acid levels. And while it’s true that pepsin requires an acidic environment to be activated from its precursor form, starches do not neutralize the stomach’s acidic pH more or less than any other food. An empty stomach is a very acid stomach, and while the anions in all food help neutralize the pH somewhat as we are fed, the stomach remains, on balance, acidic even when fed. (This explains why people who suffer from gastritis, ulcers or acid reflux often feel awful when hungry and much better after they’ve eaten.)
Human stomach have a pH balance of 2.0 (which is very acidic!) which explains why soda does not destroy stomachs yet can eat through bones & clean up cars.
The last sentence explains (in parenthesis–yes, I see the irony here) me somewhat as I often feel awful right before I eat & super awesome afterwards.
