This acid condition results in a lowering of the body’s vital alkaline reserve, the depletion of which causes toxaemia or autointoxication.

 

These three types are: –

• Alkali forming foods such as fruits and vegetables. Alkali forming means the end products of such foods after digestion. Even acid tasting fruits such as lemons yield alkaline salts in the body.

• Concentrated proteins such as meat, game, fish, eggs or cheese. These foods are acid forming in their final end products in the body.

• Concentrated carbohydrates or starch foods, which are acid forming. These include grains, bread, and all foods containing flour, all sugars and foods containing sugars (sucrose), but not the naturally occurring sugars found in fruit.

Starches and sugars should not be eaten with proteins and acid fruits at the same meal.

Vegetables, salads and fruits (whether acid or sweet) if correctly combined should form the major part of the diet.

Proteins, starches and fats should be eaten in small quantities.

Only whole grains and unprocessed starches should be used and all refined and processed foods should be eliminated from the diet.

Not less than four hours between starch and protein meals.

Milk does not combine well with food and should be kept to a minimum.

 

List A	List B	List C
Proteins	Neutral Foods	Starches
All meat	Most vegetables	Biscuits
All poultry	All salads	Bread
Cheese	Seeds	Cakes
Eggs	Nuts	Crackers
Fish	Herbs	Oats
Soya Beans	Cream	Pasta
Yogurt	Butter	Potatoes
	Olive Oil	Rice
		Sugar/Honey
		Sweets

• Mix anything from List A with List B

• Mix anything from List C with List B

• Never mix List A and C!

• Mix vegetables or salads with pulses i.e. beans/lentils – make these and unprocessed foods the main part of your diet.

   

The Hay system consists of five important rules

1. Starches and sugars should not be eaten with proteins and acid fruits at the same meal.

2. Vegetables, salads, and fruits should form the major part of the diet.

3. Proteins, starches, and fats should be eaten in small quantities.

4. Only whole grain and unprocessed starches should be used, and all refined processed foods           should be taboo – in particular, white flour and sugar and all foods made with them, and highly

processed fats such as margarine.

5. An interval of at least four to four-and-a-half hours should elapse between meals of different

character.

The cardinal rule of the Hay System – not mixing carbohydrates (i.e., starches and sugars) with proteins and acid fruits – is generally misunderstood, although based on sound physiological principles, long existing and long forgotten.

In order to understand this rule, it is necessary to understand the classification of carbohydrates and proteins in the context of compatible food combinations:

The proteins are concentrated (20% or more) animal proteins such as meat, fish, cheese, and poultry.

The carbohydrates are concentrated (20% or more) starches, such as grains, bread and cereals, potatoes, and sugars.

Alkali-forming foods comprise all vegetables (including potatoes, if cooked in their skins and the skins are eaten); all salads; all fresh fruits (except plums and cranberries); almonds; and milk.

Acid-forming foods comprise all animal proteins such a meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, cheese, and poultry; nuts (except almonds); all the starch foods such as grains, bread, flour, and other foods made form cereal starches; and sugars.

Compatible eating, it should be pointed out, can be as cheap – or as expensive – as the budget allows. And it is definitely more economical, as small correctly combined meals are better digested and thus more satisfying.