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About This Quiz
Theories abound about what food combinations are disastrous for your health. Take this quiz with a grain of salt, though -- we're not advocating any one theory, just giving you some ideas on what not to eat for your next dinner.
According to a 2008 study, you might not want to have this with your morning coffee.
eggs
cereal
The study found raised insulin levels in subjects who drank caffeinated coffee an hour before eating cereal. So if you have diabetes or a family history of it, you might want to think twice before making this combo your first meal of the day.
fruit
pancakes
bacon
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Why does orange juice taste so awful after you've brushed your teeth?
Citrus and mint are opposing flavors on the "taste wheel."
Certain compounds in the toothpaste bring out the bitter flavors in the orange juice.
Long story, but it's probably because the foaming agent in toothpaste suppresses the sweet and brings out the bitter in the orange juice.
The acid in the orange juice becomes extra acidic when it combines with the toothpaste.
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If you're making a salad, what kind of dressing should you avoid?
low-fat
You probably think you're being healthy with that low-fat dressing, but research shows that pairing a salad with full-fat, olive oil-based dressing helps your body absorb the nutrients in the salad.
full-fat
olive oil-based
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According to Kosher dietary laws, what two food groups should not be eaten in the same meal?
dairy and fruit
fruits and grains
meat and dairy
Jews who keep kosher cannot eat meat and dairy together.
fruits and vegetables
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For those keeping Kosher, why can't meat and dairy be eaten together?
Religious laws forbid the eating of milk and meat at the same time.
Meat and dairy are hard to digest when eaten together.
Scholars debate the origins of biblical laws governing food, which provide the guidelines used when keeping Kosher.
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Which meats are forbidden under kosher law?
pork and shellfish
According to the Torah, Jews can eat any animal that has cloven hooves and eats its own cud. This eliminates pigs. As far as seafood goes, the Torah says to avoid anything that doesn't have fins and scales. Thus, shellfish is out.
fish and chicken
beef and pork
turkey and beef
shellfish and chicken
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Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, has many rules about how combining foods affects your health. According to ayurvedic medicine, which foods should never be eaten together?
grains and meat
vegetables and sweets
fruit and meat
dairy and citrus
Dairy with citrus or sour fruits is a big no-no. They break down differently, so eating them together slows your agni, or "digestive fire."
alcohol and vegetables
grains and vegetables
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The meat and dairy combination is also avoided in ayurveda. Why?
it's believed that they disturb digestion when consumed together -- basically, the same reason as in kosher law
In ayurveda, foods have either "hot" or "cold" attributes. Meat is hot and milk is cold, so they disturb digestion when consumed together. Basically, the same thing as in kosher law.
because cows are sacred in India, and their meat and milk should never be eaten together
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Ayurvedic practitioners avoid milk that is ______.
raw
cold
Milk isn't crucial in ayurveda, but if you do consume it, it should never be homogenized, pasteurized or served cold. It should be boiled and mixed with spices.
warm
boiled
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According to ayurvedic theory, which food should never be eaten in combination with any other?
sugar
leafy greens
citrus
seafood
melon
Melon digests so quickly, ayurvedic experts say, that it should be eaten alone or avoided all together.
pork
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In Chinese medicine, which food group is considered inappropriate for human consumption?
fruits
vegetables
meat
dairy
Grains and vegetables are the two primary food groups, meat and fruit are secondary, and dairy is the odd man out.
grains
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What food combination would a traditional Chinese doctor recommend you avoid if you have a common cold?
tofu and mushrooms
In Chinese medicine, ailments are categorized as "hot" or "cold." A cold is -- you guessed it -- cold. So you would want to eat "warm" foods like garlic and ginger and steer clear of "cold" foods like tofu and mushrooms.
garlic and ginger
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If you're on a macrobiotic diet, which would not be a good way to prepare your food?
baking
broiling
steaming
frying
Macrobiotic diets focus on traditional (and healthy) cooking methods, and frying would not be one of those.
grilling
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What else is excluded from a macrobiotic diet?
legumes
white flour
A macrobiotic diet includes only unprocessed foods, so white flour is out.
citrus
honey
tomatoes
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Our bodies digest different foods in different ways. According to the study of trophology, you'll avoid indigestion by making meals from foods that are digested in the same way. So, what's one thing that you should not eat with oatmeal?
milk
orange juice
Apparently, oatmeal requires an acidic environment and about four hours to digest properly. Orange juice needs an alkaline environment and about an hour and a half. So eating them together will wreak havoc on your system. You might be a little confused right now if you've taken our Everyday Enhancement quiz, which states that many doctors advocate the combo of orange juice and oatmeal for its cholesterol-lowering properties. Well, we're scratching our heads, too.
raisins
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Also according to trophology, what should you never do during a meal?
drink
Drinking during a meal is a no-no. You should consume liquids (preferably water) at least a half-hour before a meal and two hours after.
belch
eat too quickly
eat too slowly
rub your stomach
stand
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If a practicer of trophology were offered a bowl of rice and beans, would he or she eat it?
yes
no
One of the main tenets of food combining theory is that proteins should never be eaten with starches. So, good old rice and beans are out.
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Trophology says you should always eat this type of food alone, never with anything else.
meat
dairy
fruit
We digest fruit fastest, so according to food-combining theory eating it alone makes things easier on your system.
vegetables
seafood
grains
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If you're into trophology, what should you never eat with your steak?
cheese
cauliflower
string beans
baked potato
The starch-protein combo of pairing a baked potato with steak is a classic , but some say it's also an invitation for indigestion.
salad
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Trophology practitioners avoid doing this after a big meal.
eating dessert
Eating sweets after a big meal is terrible for your digestive system, according to food combining theory. Some practitioners even advocate making an entire meal out of desserts if you have a sweet tooth. Better to eat it alone, they say, than after a meal.
drinking coffee
walking
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You Got:
/20
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